This week at my church, we continue deeper into the wonder that began anew on Easter, and we step into the biggest mystery of all, resurrection.
I like to think that this site’s name comes from the Christian hope in resurrection, even if a connection to the Greek’s Phoenix is just as likely.
Either way, I would like to suggest that resurrection is just the mindset that Buffalo needs.
I particularly like the metaphor that Paul uses to describe resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, a seed.
Seeds have to go into the ground and die to produce new life. The resulting new life–the plant–is obviously connected to the seed, but it is also different from it.
My hope for our city is neither that we hang on to our past, nor that we start from scratch, but that the old becomes the seed for the new.
Our architecture, our jobs, our culture, our government–none of these things will last as they are–everything has a life cycle, but in each of its dieing there is the possibility of resurrection. The new Buffalo can be the old Buffalo–transformed in its death, but also finding new life. I believe that much of what we see today is but a seed–we are pregnant with possibilities–and new life will spring from it.
Sadly, much of what we love of this city will die. But our hope is that these deaths will produce fertile ground, compost, and a new Buffalo will spring forth from it. Who would have thought that an abandoned church would become Babeville? That an Italian West Side would be re-born Burmese? That an industrial waterfront would be rise as commercial?
Death isn’t easy. But embracing resurrection works way better than avoiding death.
Shameless plug: This topic was chosen for me by those in attendance at Lafayette Church
on Easter. I encouraged each person to wonder, as that was the
reaction of the women and Peter as they discovered the empty tomb.
Each person wrote down one thing that produces wonder in them, and those things were grouped into sermon topics for the coming weeks. This week is “Resurrection,” next week is “Healing” (or lack thereof). The third week is still being defined, but it involves life’s purpose and the perception that God loves some people and not others–I can’t be concise yet, but it is going to be interesting.
You are invited to participate as well–in person, as always, but also by commenting or emailing me and listing some of the things that cause you to wonder. Shared wonder can be a beautiful thing.