For the past two months I've met weekly with a couple dozen pastors and the mayor to seek the guidance of God's Spirit in uniting the church in the Greater Toledo area to serve and transform the city.  It has been a privilege for me to be part of this group, to meet new Christian leaders in the city and to get to know the heart of the mayor which rarely comes out in the press.  I find attempting to pilot such a group is an absolutely huge challenge.  The men and women who are participating in this are for the most part strong and vocal visionary leaders. Getting them all together in one room to discern the heart of God for the city is no mean task.  I am, however, delighted that my take on what is happening thus far is that most of us seem to be more than willing to lay aside our own agendas in order to work together to advance the Kingdom in the city.                                    

Our vision at Washington Church as you know is to be a catalyst for unity in the church of Toledo.  The "pinch of leaven" has already been introduced into the lump of dough and is beginning to work.

Our recent meetings have been at the downtown YMCA on Summit and Superior.  Some of you may have seen their mobile that vertically runs up three flights of stairs. It's approximately 30 feet tall.  There are probably 200 objects in this mobile, all connected through various means to one single point.  When there is a breeze they all move. They don't move in unison with each other.  They do move, however, in harmony with each other.  The mobile was so designed so that every single piece is necessary. If one piece is cut out, the Mobile loses its balance and the pieces beginning to collide.  Little pieces are just as important as big pieces.

 I see this as a visual picture of what God wants to actualize in our city.  Each church, each movement, each Christian organization connected to a common Lord working in harmony with one another; the big pieces being no more important than the little pieces.

I'm very much aware of the fact that this dream/vision is absolutely impossible for us to accomplish on our own.  Unless the Spirit of God connects all of us, this cannot and will not happen.  Pushing this analogy of the mobile a little be further - at this stage we are all pieces sitting around a big table in a room attempting to seek God's will and His strategy for the city.  We "clank" into one another from time to time.  We also move fluidly with each other at other times.  We are not yet ready to be set in motion but we are all aware of the fact that we are in God's workshop and he is continuing the life-long process of fastening us together so that we may with one voice sing His praises.  Please pray for this work - for wisdom and compassion.

 Love - your friend,

Pastor Don