Memories that Build Hope
We spent Sundays throughout the month of October working through the book of 2 Timothy. For many, the highlight of this series stemmed from a simple, seemingly inconsequential statement Paul makes to Timothy near the beginning of the first chapter: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice.”
As we might expect, the letter begins with an emotional personal expression of love and devotion. Paul writes things like this to Timothy, “I remember you constantly in prayer” and “It would fill me with joy to see you.” It almost seems as though he is overwhelmed emotionally reflecting on his deep, personal connection to and love for his friend, Timothy.
Paul proceeds to thank God for Timothy’s faith in Jesus. And importantly, he acknowledges that this is a faith Timothy didn’t invent or come to on his own. Rather, it is a faith he inherited from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. They were faithful in their task. So, Paul says to Timothy, Remember their influence on you, and thank God for it.
I think this act of remembering is a really important part of the life of faith, as we have inherited the Christian faith from those who have gone before.
Paul includes this instruction as more than just a meaningless family tree detail that identifies Timothy’s mother and grandmother, more than just fluff or filler to prime the reader before we get to the important stuff. This, too, is important.
Though it seems rather ordinary, Timothy, let’s remember and thank God for these faithful women who taught and raised you in the faith. Your faithfulness in the work God called you to is in part due to their faithful witness. Their faithfulness reverberates into the future through you.
On October 12, riffing on Paul’s words a bit and following his example, we spent time reflecting on our past as a congregation. We invited the team who planted this version of Solid Rock Church in 2009 to share about the early days of this church.
I was struck by something Jim Arnzen shared. He said, “The emphasis was never, ‘We want to start a church.’ It really took time. We just continued to meet together and care for each other.” Jim’s words highlight that the emphasis on caring about one another’s journey in our purpose statement was present from the beginning.
Christine Arnzen and Sheri Phillips Stevens expressed a similar sentiment in sharing that they desired a place of community without pretense, a place where people who had become disillusioned or hurt could experience God’s healing and restoration. What a beautiful expression of our stated purpose for Solid Rock to be a place where people can discover wholeness!
The panel also shared how they see God at work now in our community and what they pray for the future of our church, given the uniqueness of their long-term perspective. You can hear their expressions of hope for the future beginning at the 26:58 mark of the video.
It was a gift to hear them share and then to reflect on my experiences as a part of this congregation.
I have personally found a home here, a place of belonging and healing, a place of challenge and encouragement. I have found a place to be nourished every week with my brothers and sisters around the table of our Lord. I am so grateful to our friends, who had the wisdom, foresight, and desire to sacrifice to help create a community like this.
If you have experienced any of these benefits or blessings in this community, I invite you to reflect on your experiences and thank God for those who went before us and paved the way to help birth this place.
As Pam and Steve Smallwood both shared, this congregation was also birthed with a desire to pass the faith along to the next generation. As we reflect on the past, we always do that with an eye to the future, trusting that just as God has walked with us in the past, he continues walking with us into the future.