Pastor's Pen

One Vision, One Village, One Victory is the phrase we are using as we organize our hearts and minds to prepare for the coming church year.

 

Our vision is built on Isaiah 61. In that text, the prophet articulates his vision of the remnant of believers returning from exile in Babylon and devoting themselves to rebuilding their homeland. He states, "They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations, they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations" (NRSV).  Building God's village is a scriptural mandate. This text begins by saying "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me, He has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor” (NRSV).

 

When Jesus preached his first sermon in Nazareth this was the text from which he preached (Luke 4). The message of Isaiah and Jesus is that people of faith will create communities where peace, justice and brotherhood and sisterhood will prevail. It is that vision that our village rests upon. The unity cookout last Saturday was a glimpse of this village coming into existence. Our faithful members brought food and shared it with our neighbors. White, Black and Hispanic sat together around tables of fellowship. Middle class neighbors dined with homeless people. Old and young celebrated and had a good time.

 

Isaiah's vision of a restored, renewed community, led by the Spirit of God, coming together was a beautiful sight to behold. We could not help being reminded of the old spiritual "When all God's children get together, what a  time, what a time, what a time."

The victory this village represents is the victory over darkness. It is a victory over racial/cultural prejudices. It is a victory over poverty and injustice. Verses 8 and 9 of Isaiah, Chapter 61 state: "For I,  the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrong doing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among all nations and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.”.

 

One Vision, One Village, One Victory!