These Sagle, Idaho congregation children of the 1930's stand outside the church's chapel that was completed in 1908. Services are held in the same building today. Photo courtesy of the Saints History Channel web site, which chronicles the history of the members and congregations in the Inland West Mission Center.
John G. VanDerWalker II, Mission Center President
New year. New horizons.
The last day of 2011 was a day of mixed emotion for me personally. I lost my best friend Ray Zagata to a very aggressive cancer on Dec. 31. My feelings were mixed, because I knew that his quality of life for the past few months was not what he wanted nor was it physically comfortable. His passing was a release from his pain, but it was the peak of my pain and the grief of all those who loved Ray. His passing marks a transition for me personally and for the church in southern Idaho. My condolences go to his wife Kathy, mother Grace, and daughter Mitzie and her family.
The day after I returned from Ray’s service in Buhl I was with members of the Sagle, Idaho congregation working through an informal vision-seeking process. Congregants had spent the last month, talking about and compiling their faith community’s sacred story. With many of the stories gathered and written down, we began to talk about the truth found in the them. We found examples of God faithfulness to the members of the congregation through the years. We learned that in the 100-year history of the Sagle church there were at least three times the congregation teetered on the brink of oblivion, and yet the people remained faithful. Life was breathed into the church again.
It is impossible to separate the threads of the Sagle Community of Christ from the fabric of the Sagle, Idaho community. For example, church members with the dream of Zion with resources from the church headquarters organized and launched the Sagle Volunteer Fire Department, including the appointment of the first two fire chiefs and the procurement of the first fire tanker truck.
I’m encouraged by the Sagle Community of Christ’s desire to spend time looking at themselves. Just as it is important for us to practice self-examination and repentance in our personal lives, these are essential principles of congregational life as well. Truthfully, congregations can get caught up in the spiral of “doing church” and must from time to time look at themselves critically to discover what God is calling them to be. What an appropriate time to pursue such an exercise as we celebrate a new beginning with a new year!
Like all living things, ideas and ministries are born, mature and die. But if we remain faithful and continue to look for ways to bear witness of the good news, God will bless our efforts. The church is an organism. Paul said it— we are the Body of Christ. Just as we live in the promise of resurrection and life eternal, we can remain confident that the message of Christ is eternal as well. While we may age and die, the gospel lives on in those who receive the gift through our witness.
As members of Community of Christ, let’s step fully aware into 2012, taking the time to examine not only ourselves but also our congregations. We can be vibrant witnesses of Christ for our time, and for our communities.
May the father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless and keep you, and may you be the witness God has created you to be. Amen.
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