community

Stories Matter

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Since I was a child, I have always loved a good story. A voracious reader, I would get pulled into characters’ lives, the unraveling of circumstances, seeing how the various characters involved responded to them. Think back to a book you read, a movie you saw, a news event—the details of which have stuck with you over time.

Stories have the ability to inspire, inform, pierce your heart, educate, fill you with hope.

Stories draw you in. They draw you closer. Close enough to see. See that the neighbor who seems unfriendly has recently received a devastating diagnosis. That the coworker you find hard to get along with is going through marriage struggles that are tearing her family apart. That the other dad on your child’s youth sports team lost his job and doesn’t know how he’s going to make ends meet. That the mom you see on her phone while her kids are at the park feels so alone in this season that she is grasping for lifelines to feel connected in this world. People you know have dealt with these situations and more: chronic illness, infertility, broken relationships, depression, just to name a few.  

Some people are in the valley of their struggle and desperately need a hand to hold or to pull them up. Others are still in the midst of the fight—some days they persevere and some days they feel weighed down. There are still others who have made it through a hard time and are praying for the opportunity to make some beauty out of the ashes by walking alongside someone else in a similar circumstance.

More recently as our country seems to be ever more divided, I think of another aspect of our personal stories that is so important to redeeming the brokenness. We can easily look at the neighbor, coworker, friend or relative that votes differently than we do or holds a position different from ours and boil down our opinion of them to their vote or their position, instead of seeing what lies beneath the surface that has led them to that decision. If we took the time to ask questions and hear someone’s story, it may begin to change things. This doesn’t mean either person’s views have to change, and sometimes there is true evil or deep hurts that need a lot of work to heal, but in many cases, understanding what matters to another person will only help in the work of healing division. When Jesus tells us to “love your neighbor as yourself”, He is not only suggesting that command for when we like everything about a person. We have, in many ways, lost civility and kindness, and I believe the Church is the best equipped—and most called—to lead the charge back. Sharing stories is not the answer, but it is an important step in the right direction.

The fact is, we all have stories. We all have circumstances of our lives that, along with how we walk through those seasons, contribute to who we are becoming. Some are beautiful celebrations and cause for joy, others are more of a challenge, a trial. As I’ve gotten older and my relationship with Jesus has grown—and the stories that make up my life have grown, I began to see that God has given each of us our stories for three reasons: up, in and out. First and foremost, our stories are for His glory—an upward focus. There is also a personal, inward focus to our stories—to teach us something, to grow us and stretch us. The third way our stories can be used is in an outward direction—to walk alongside other people who may need to lean on what we’ve learned along the way or need a hand to hold as they walk a hard path.

Last year, I began reading through the Psalms. As I continued through, I began to note all the times that the Psalmist said to recount, tell, declare, remember, proclaim or in some similar way speak of instances of God’s faithfulness (40:5, 9-10; 44:1; 66:16; 67:2; 71:15, 18; 73:28; 75:1; 77:11; 78:5-7; 89:1; 90:16; 96:3; 105:1-5; 107:22; 111:4; 126:2-3; 143:5; 145:4, 10-12 if you’re curious!). Very notably in contrast, in Psalm 106, verses 7, 13, and 21 all speak, in reference to the Israelites wandering in the desert, as a time that they “did not consider” or “did not remember” God and His works. There is a very real connection to losing our way and forgetting God’s faithfulness. Sharing our stories with one another will encourage our faith and spur each other on when we walk through our own hard times so that we don’t lose our way.

Pastor Joe recently preached on Hebrews 11 in our series, Defining Moments. He talked about faith stories and how they allow us to go to deeper places with God. He posed four questions at the end of the series:

  1. What is your faith story and who is Jesus to you?

  2. How has God met you in your successes?

  3. How has God met you in your suffering?

  4. What areas of your character and relationships is He seeking to grow?

With this all setting the stage, the Riverbend writing team is excited to start recording our own Riverbend “Hebrews 11” stories, stories of God’s faithfulness within our community. We hope, as we begin sharing stories over the coming weeks and months, He will get much glory and you will be encouraged by hearing how God is at work in the lives of our church family. Also, in this strange season of Covid, we hope these stories will serve as a way of getting to know others in our church who you may not currently get to see, but who you could say of, as C.S. Lewis wrote, “What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.” If you are interested in sharing a story of God’s work in your life with our community, be on the lookout in the coming weeks for ways to volunteer.  

You have multiplied, O Lord my God,

 Your wonderous deeds and your thoughts toward us;

 None can compare with You!

I will proclaim them and tell of them,

 yet they are more than can be told.

Psalm 40:5

Empowering Women in Christ: Riverbend Women's Ministry

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Editor’s Note:

We wanted to highlight some exciting new opportunities in some of our ministries, so that in this different season we’re in, everyone has opportunities to connect and experience community in whatever ways they’re comfortable in. In this post, we asked Samantha Dean, one of the three co-leads of the Riverbend Women’s Ministry, to share her heart for the women of Riverbend and some ways that women can connect.  

Riverbend is so dear to my heart, and Riverbend women in particular hold a very special place in my heart. It is rare to find such a socially inclusive group of women, and I’m thankful to be a part of the women’s community here for that reason.  I really want to see female connections grow at Riverbend. 

True, deep female friendship and discipleship are so important to the health of a Christian woman.  This year in particular, has been so difficult. We’ve experienced isolation, financial hardship, job loss, changes in teaching our children, fear for our health, and the stress of national division.  In addition to their own feelings, I think women also experience these stresses on behalf of our husband and children.  

In light of all that is going on in and around us, we need unity as Christian women now more than ever. I want the women of Riverbend to feel loved, supported, and part of a deep social network where they can laugh, cry, and bear each other’s burdens. I want Riverbend’s women’s group to reflect Jesus’ desire for community among believers. We may have different experiences, be in different seasons of life, have different dress sizes, have different skin colors, have different political leanings, but we have Christ in common! Christ is what unifies us. And all those differences? They can bring such a rounded and rich view of our work here on earth as part of Riverbend and the Lehigh Valley.

My goal for this group is that we would be able to provide social, service, and study opportunities for women at Riverbend through the women’s ministry. Socializing breeds friendships and support. Service gives us the chance to reach out and love the community around us. Study allows us to dive into God’s Word more deeply, so that we can go about the socializing and serving with wisdom! We can also bring that wisdom into our everyday lives as we raise children, maintain, friendships, go to our jobs, and love our husbands. We will be imperfect in providing an even ratio of these things, but I know Christy, Jessica, and I love the women of our church and will do our best to lead well; God will fill in the cracks!

My other goal is to provide opportunities for women, but not completely carry women in their faith lives.  There are seasons where we all need to be carried, but I’m a big proponent of taking ownership. What I mean by that, is I’d like to see women empowered to take leadership of their lives and their faith. Christy, Jessica, and I are not special. Any woman at Riverbend can lead, and I’m hopeful that if someone has a service opportunity they’d really like to participate in, that they take the initiative to organize it. It could be a Bible study, a social event—whatever may be laid on someone’s heart—and Christy, Jessica, and I can provide support and resources :) 

If you’re reading this and wondering how you can get connected and involved, the biggest thing a woman can do is start doing! Some options that are available right now are:

1) Join Riverbend Women CONNECT on Facebook (Closed group requiring an invite, but any woman already in the group can invite you, so just ask a friend on Facebook or send an email to women@riverbendonline.org and we’ll get you plugged in!)

2) Join us in making space for God’s Word in our daily lives— Christy and other ladies are reading through the New Testament in 2021 (or choose your own reading… whatever gets you in God’s Word every day!). See the Women’s Facebook group or email the women’s team for more details.

3) Come to our next event.

4) Invite a woman or a few women you’d like to get to know for coffee or dinner.

5) Start praying for connection. That God would provide opportunities to connect with other women.

5) Have an idea for an event?? Let us know! Help us organize it! Let’s make it happen!

 

I’m so excited to see what this season at Riverbend brings!

Sam