Pastor Eric J. Trozzo
As we enter February, we begin to move back into our routines. December is the month of holidays and disruptions from the usual flow. January, then, is the month of resolutions to do things differently. By the end of the month, though, reality has hit us and we do our best to keep up. As that happens, most of our resolutions slide away and we fall back into our old patterns. Some of those patterns are good and comforting. Others, though, can get in the way of us moving forward and can be obstacles to the fullness of life promised in Christ.
Now that we are fully in the new year and back to our old routines, then, I find it to be a good time to focus on ways that we can begin to shift our mentality in order to be more open to the movement of the Holy Spirit. A mentality shift is different from a resolution. A resolution is a commitment to do something differently. A mentality shift is about re-framing our thinking. Mentality shifts aim at a deeper level than resolutions. They are no less susceptible to falling back into old patterns, to be sure, but they also bring greater possibility for refreshing our lives because they aim at how we understand what we do.
This year I have identified about a dozen mentality shifts that can bring a greater sense of mission and participation to our life as a congregation. Each month I will offer a different mentality shift. Each mentality shift takes a sentiment commonly heard in congregations and asks us to alter our way of thinking on that subject. The mentality shift of the month is an invitation to renew your understanding of our life as a congregation, your role within it, and the possibilities that God opens up for us to respond faithfully to God’s leading. This month, for example, I invite you to ponder how we consider the physical building of St. Matthew as a tool for mission. You will find this in a separate article. I invite you to challenge yourself with these monthly mentality shifts to hear God’s calling to you in your life in a new way. May all of our minds be opened to see the fresh ways that God can work among us to live out the love we have received.
February Mentality Shift: “It is our building.”
It is easy to think of the physical St. Matthew building as “our building.” It is easy to think that its primary function is to house the activities of the congregation. Certainly a major portion of the congregation’s budget goes to the upkeep of the facility. However, when I recently did a rough estimate for how much of the building’s use goes to supporting the needs of the Moorestown area community, I found that it accounted for about 60% of the building’s use. This means that our building is far and away the dominate way that we “love our global and local community” as part of our call to “live the love.” Through the use of the building, we as a congregation reach out to an impressive range of people and groups that enhance the well-being of the people and neighborhoods around us. There are multiple scouting groups, multiple groups for people struggling with addiction, a food pantry to support those who are food insecure, support groups for those who are grieving the loss of a spouse, and a playgroup for young children. Providing a space for these groups to meet is a form of ministry. It is an outreach into the community so that this congregation is a resource of support. It is a way to show God’s love through expressing love for groups in our community that deepen meaning in people’s lives.
Shifting away from seeing the building as “ours” can help us to better relate to the outside groups that call the building their home as well. As we schedule events, we can remember that the outside groups are not a hassle to work around but a way that we as a congregation minister to the community and express our love. Honoring their work means recognizing the importance of their use of building space. It is an outreach, and so we can plan our congregational events around the regularly scheduled programs of those other groups. We can undertake that planning gratefully, knowing that these other groups are not simply “renters” who are to be tolerated but rather hosting them is a core piece of our overall congregational ministry.