Epiphany takes place on January 6, marking the arrival of the Magi and the revealing of Christ to the world. It falls in the first week of our new year, and is a wonderful alternative to the festivities and resolutions of New Year’s Day. Instead, it’s a reminder that this is what we are called to do—to follow the light, to reveal the light to the world, and to live into the light—which may lead us down a road we didn’t expect. Just as the Magi in Matthew 2:1-12 were warned in a dream not to go back the way they came but to return home by another road, so we sometimes must shift our expectations.
Ironically, as I write this, we are in the midst of moving the regional office after 59 years in Elm Grove (we are moving to 1011 N. Mayfair, Suite 205, Wauwatosa WI 53226). I knew we couldn’t keep doing what we were doing, having an office space much larger than what we needed, with the maintenance and repairs that would need to be completed in order to remain in the same too-large space. We will never again need the size of staff the regional office once contained. Central Seminary, which once held its satellite campus with us, moved most of its courses online, as did most seminaries during the pandemic. We are embodying a larger shift among churches in the United States and heading out on a new journey. The resources from the sale of the building will be used for supporting and growing new ministries in the region.
Most of our church buildings came from an era of planting and growth. During the 50’s and 60’s, many churches built an “education wing” adjacent to the sanctuary with offices and classrooms. We now know that church attendance peaked in 1960. Church buildings will never look like they once did. However, this is good news, because church buildings can be flexible. The building is not the church, the body of Christ is, and that can include our neighbors down the street and in the surrounding community, if we share Christ’s love. The building can be used for Christ’s mission in so many ways: food pantries and community meals, community centers with different community partners, spaces for choirs and musical groups and artists, childcare centers—the list goes on. Many of you here in Wisconsin are already sharing with others and partnering with organizations to connect with the community surrounding your building.
Nonetheless, I wonder if some of our ministries and churches are stuck in spaces that no longer fit them. There are many ministries that meet online now, and people are finding ways of connecting to congregations across the country. What started in the pandemic has continued to grow and change. I spoke with one pastor recently about how to help people who may be far away connect in discipleship. While they may worship online and participate in Bible Study, those who are not in-person for worship still need to find a way to connect to the physical community they are in. We’re still figuring out the role of online ministry, but it is real, and it’s not going away. I’m not suggesting it replaces our need for a building, but thinking outside the box and doing ministry together in digital spaces can also expand our thinking about ministry in physical space. Perhaps a classroom can become a digital studio, or a breakout space for hybrid Bible study, or a space for afterschool tutoring or digital learning.
As we move into 2025, we’re still figuring out what regional ministry looks like, with all of you. We know it’s supporting our churches as they look for pastors and navigating congregational transitions and questions. We know it’s resourcing new leaders in our ministries. We know it’s caring for God’s creation at Camp Tamarack and elsewhere, including our parks and gardens. And we know that God is calling us into seed planting new ministries to share the light. But we don’t know exactly what that looks like yet. I’m comforted that the early church didn’t know, either, except to worship and fellowship together, care for one another’s needs, and have the goodwill of their neighbors (Acts 2:43-47). This was before Paul began his ministry, before the house churches were planted in the New Testament. Before churches began building their own buildings and determining orders of worship and organizational structure, they followed the work of the Spirit. They followed the light and shared the light of Christ by loving their neighbors.
In this new year, may we follow the light of Christ, reveal the light in the shadows of hopelessness and despair, and live into the light that shines in us as followers of Jesus. May we not be afraid of going on a different road than we expected. May we be open to being surprised by the Holy Spirit at who God may be calling us to do ministry with. And may we help one another by praying for one another (see the prayer calendar to pray for each church and pastor through the year), reaching out to each other to ask for help or to share ideas, and may we live into the light that Christ has called us to be.