Conference Minister's Corner 11-25-2025

Take a Chance…

“What Would You Do with a Chance?” is the title and opening line of a children’s book (but really for all ages) by author Kobi Yamada. I’m guessing many of you have read this book or one of his other two: “What Do You Do with an Idea?” and “What Do You Do with a Problem?” Sermon possibilities abound with all three. The first book is a wonderful reminder that chances are all around us but sometimes we let them float away because of fear of failing, or fear of rejection or just plain old fear. However, if we let our excitement be bigger than our fear (and I would add our faith), we might be able to grab that chance and as the boy in the story says “it just might be the start of something incredible”.

There are chances all around us these days. The chance of being the church in new ways in today’s world. The chance of being relevant and needed in our communities. The chance of not just doing church differently but looking at models for pastoring our churches differently, such as collaborating with other congregations for full-tine pastors or sharing pastors between two and three churches. There’s the chance to be creative, hopeful, and brave. Taking chances means taking risks and with risks comes fear, of course, but if we let our excitement and our faith be greater than our fear, we might just be ok. Besides, as the boy in the story tell us, and I’m paraphrasing here: “Maybe we don’t have to be brave all of the time. Maybe we just need to be brave for a little while at the right time”.

And that’s what you do with a chance. So go ahead and grab the chance in front of you (individually and as a congregation!) It just might be the start of something incredible.

See you in Church,

Linda