I’ll admit it. I am not much of a “Hallmark” genre movie lover. But every so often, my wife and I will agree to watch something on that order. Last evening was one such occasion. We decided on the 2020 British comedy-drama, Love Sarah. What has this got to do with us, you ask?
The plot is simple enough. Three women, representing three generations in one family, attempt to revive a family bakery and coffee shop that had been closed for several years, located in the present day, Notting Hill section of London. With the hiring of an outstanding culinary artist and a freshly remodeled eye-appealing shop, the business almost immediately began to nose dive. That is until one day…
A Latvian deliveryman entered the shop. Asked if there was a baked item he would make a special effort to go to that Notting Hill bakery and buy, he mentioned an item not on the menu, a kringle, a tasty delight which brought back fond memories of his homeland. That’s when the “light bulb” went on. Notting Hill is a community populated by immigrants from several countries. So, the original menu of baked items was scrapped and a new one which reflected the preferences of a diverse community was adopted with great success.
Granted, there are parts of America which are homogeneous, and the churches that thrive in those areas look like the people who live there. But our nation, regardless of whether we’re comfortable with it or not, is becoming culturally and ethnically diverse. And if our churches are to fulfill their God given mission, we must find ways to connect and serve those who live around us. Oh, how do I regret “blowing off” those French and Spanish classes in middle and high school, because I could sure use a little help now.
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hiddenarrows
Ed presently serves as the Lead Pastor of Leesburg Alliance Church, Leesburg, FL. He has had over 30 years of ministry experience, sixteen of them at Greenwoods Community Church in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. More recently he has fulfilled transitional interim assignments for the Alliance Southeast of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Englewood and Spring Hill, Florida. In addition, Ed has had nearly 13 years of experience in the field of geriatric healthcare.
His wife, Lynn, is a true partner in ministry, having served Greenwoods Community Church as its Children's Ministry Coordinator for over ten years. She is a decorator, colorist, instructor in furniture painting, and an artist in her own right. For over 20 years she had her own business, Whimsical Brushes, teaching and traveling throughout the Northeast.
Ed’s passion and heartfelt prayer remains for genuine revival and awakening in our nation. One of the keys to past workings of God especially in New England has been related to pastors mentoring pastors. God has given Ed a burden to be a mentor pastor, developing leaders for the church in the 21st Century. One way in which he is fulfilling that calling is through Rockbridge Seminary, where he serves as an adjunct professor of Spiritual Formation.
Ed has earned degrees from Cairn University (B.S. 1971), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M. 1979), and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (D.Min. 2007). He has published several articles on the Spiritual Heritage of Litchfield County, Connecticut, and led several tours of sites associated with the Village Revivals that spawned the Second Great Awakening in New England. In his spare time, you are likely to find Ed at the piano or pecking out a blog on his blog page https://hiddenarrows.blog
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Hidden Arrows 