This past Sunday (June 17th) Saint Nicholas faced a big decision – whether to build the North Wing. The North Wing has been in the plans for 6 years and more. Many saints have contributed their sweat and brains in helping to dream what kind of building this would be, what it would look like, what ministries it would make possible. More saints have committed their time, talents and treasure to seeing this dream come true. It came down to three votes – whether to expand the parking lot, whether to authorize the Council to select a contractor and whether to allow Congregation President Ann Wolfgang to sign a mortgage for up to $1.8 million dollars to fund the construction.

I confess my heart was in my throat. I’m not sure whether I was nervous that we wouldn’t go ahead or that we would. Both ways seemed dangerous. If we didn’t go ahead, what would we do with all of the money and momentum we’d already generated? If we did go ahead, wouldn’t we be taking on a big obligation, both in terms of debt and in terms of expectations, for growth and ministry? To tell the truth, I was even worried that we wouldn’t have enough people to have a quorum.

As it happened, I was sitting next to the teens that would be going off to work camp after the votes were complete. I looked over at them and they looked so confident, so happy and calm and assured, that I just knew that whatever we were going to do would be the right thing. I’m so glad that we asked them to delay their departure to be present for the vote, not because they helped us meet the quorum requirements (though they did), nor even because they really needed to be involved in a vote that was so important. No, I’m glad that we asked them to stay for the vote because their presence and their faith put everything in perspective. God is in charge and with the way the Spirit was in that nave, they knew we would do the right thing, and, in that moment, I knew it, too.

The time had come, again, to build up. As Ecclesiastes tells us, it isn’t always time to build. Sometimes it is time to wait, to assess and to plan. But then the time comes to do, to act, to build on faith. The congregation voted, that day, to expand the parking lot, to authorize Council to select a contractor for the North Wing, and to borrow up to $1.8 million to make it all happen.

Joel (2:28) tells us, “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young [people] shall see visions.” On that day, last Sunday, our sons and daughters promised that Saint Nicholas is and will remain a community that educates young and fearless Christians. Our grown-ups dreamed dreams and our young people saw visions of a place where the Gospel would be shared, where the Good News will be preached, where the Meal would be served, where the waters of baptism will welcome new generations of believers.

I am recalling Bob Finlayson’s talk about the beginning chapters of Joshua in which Joshua is told to be strong and courageous. The will of the earlier generation had failed and they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Would his be the generation that would cross into Canaan? And I recall Joshua’s speech in the 24th chapter that ends, “Choose this day whom you will serve … as for me and my household we will serve the LORD.” We chose, and we will serve the LORD. To be sure, challenges remain. We will need to dig deep to pay our debts while we expand our ministries. But I am so proud to be part of this congregation that looks at a challenge and doesn’t blink, that looks at the need and doesn’t falter and that looks at the future and sees the Kingdom and how to help build it.

Pastor Greg