SPRING 2005
Manna (or,
What
is it?)
“Encourage one another
daily, as long as it is
called
Today, so that none
of you may be hardened by
sin’s deceitfulness.”
(Hebrews 3:13)
We have just observed the
season of Lent. One of its
themes is that, like Israel
during the Exodus, the
Church is in a desert time:
released from the slavery of
sin but still awaiting our
entry into the promised land
of God’s kingdom.
Throughout the book of
Exodus we see that life in
the desert is hard, and
often discouraging. We can
see that just as powerfully
in our own lives. Just as
Israel wanted for food and
water, we often find
ourselves hungry and
thirsty, searching eagerly
for the nourishment we
need. Sometimes it comes to
us quickly, but other times
it feels as though we are
alone, and our
discouragement grows.
Congregations (and the
people who make them up)
struggle with all sorts of
things: diminished energy,
overwork, unresolved
conflict, declining
membership, lack of vision,
pastors and parishioners who
cannot come together
harmoniously, financial
shortages, disagreements
over how to relate to other
congregations or the
denomination. You may be
struggling with one of these
issues these days, or with
any of a host of others we
could have named.
You might be wondering why
this Faithful and Loving
Journal has come to
you. What is it? In Exodus
16, Israel cried out to the
Lord because they had
nothing to eat in the
desert. The Lord promised
to answer their cry, and the
next morning the ground was
covered with bread from
heaven. When the people saw
it they said (in Hebrew),
“Man hu,”
which means “What is it?”
From that day, we have
called the bread of heaven,
Manna.
We have put together this
journal because we know the
frustrations of
congregational life, as you
do. We have our own
struggles and
discouragements, and we
grieve with you in your
struggles. We also know the
refreshment that comes
through encouragement – how
a helping hand or a fresh
insight can feel like cool
water, or bread from
heaven.
We love the church of Jesus
Christ, and we love the
people of the United Church
of Christ. Our goal is to
offer you refreshing stories
of congregational renewal
and nourishing resources
which we have found from all
over the body of Christ. We
hope that within these pages
you will find encouragement,
resources to benefit you and
your congregation, and
strength for the journey.
Rev. Brandon
Woosley,
Pastor, St. Paul’s
Evangelical Church (UCC),
Bloomingdale, IL
