Friends,
I am amazed to be writing you as to the state of affairs for The CityWell as we enter into Holy Week – this greatest of weeks in the life of the church! I can’t believe how time is flying, and as I prepare to lead our nascent church through our first Holy Week and Easter celebrations I am so grateful for God’s gift of this new church family. Along with this, I am deeply grateful for each of you and your encouragement, partnership and prayers in this grand adventure. The CityWell simply could not be without you!
So, life in the CityWell continues to be exciting and increasingly beautiful as relationships are deepening and we are growing in a shared vision and communal language and rhythms. We are presently in the final week of our first Lenten season together, and I am so thankful for God’s gifts as we have entered the disciplines over the last five weeks of examining our hearts, acknowledging our fragility, embracing our utter dependence upon God, and anticipating Easter and the new life God gives us now through Jesus’ resurrection. This has been a rich season of contemplative worship, personal testimonies, regular confession, and a growing conviction that though we all live in the midst of death, we have a steady anchor of hope in Jesus, who is acquainted with all of our suffering, who died for us and in our place, and who is yet in Himself and for us “the Resurrection and the Life!” And so we join the Apostle Paul in proclaiming: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways… For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33-36).
The month of March saw one of the most significant developments to date in The CityWell life: the beginning of Huddles. Huddles are our most direct way of centralizing discipleship – the receiving of Jesus’ ways as our way of life – in our identity as a church. Amy and I are both leading five people each in a discipleship process that focuses very simply on learning to hear and discern God’s voice in our lives and then respond faithfully. Our method is very simple and very reproducible, and our great hope is that we will equip each of the people in these first huddles not only in the ways of discipleship, but also to lead others in this same pursuit. Disciples... who make disciples... who make disciples. We believe this is Jesus’ intention for the church. Please, please pray for us, that the Lord will anoint this process and each of these people, that The CityWell might become a truly discipleship-centered church!
Finally, as a matter of great fun, I want to share with you a picture of The CityWell. Last Friday, we enjoyed our first Open Mic Night to share our various talents with one another. I hope you will take a few minutes to follow the link to a video that will give you some idea of the beautiful diversity, gifting and joy of this new church. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlkjNHaV_0w
May our Lord who lived, suffered, died and (shh…) WAS RAISED on the third day for us, be with you, and bless you, and give you His ways to be your way of life!
Grace and peace,
Cleve
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