Galileo Galilei has been
incorrectly credited with inventing the
telescope. Actually he was the first to
discover practical innovative uses of it. In
Galileo's time, the telescope was considered
to be "the world's first time machine". Looking
through the telescope, Galileo saw two ships
in the Mediterranean Sea, and what was
extraordinary about this sighting was that it
was done twenty minutes before they became
visible to the naked eye. For Galileo, it was
like looking into the future. The
telescope, like so many innovations, became a
very useful tool in warfare, before other
uses were utilized, giving people extra time
to prepare for their defense and safety.
Vision is about seeing the
future...before it comes into view. Through
the telescope dimensions of faith and hope,
we are able to see the future and begin to
prepare our lives and our world for the
future that is surely coming. Our world is
constantly changing - at a faster rate than
we can imagine or comprehend - but is
changing all around us. The church is
changing also and change is necessary if the
church is to be relevant to a world in
constant flux. A church that does not change
is a church that is already dead. Vision helps
us look into our future so that we can
anticipate and prepare for the future that
looms just beyond our horizon. The vision
statement of the South Georgia Conference
calls us to be faithful, fruitful, and bold
disciples of Jesus Christ. Vision enables a
church to know it has a future and to prepare
for that future as it seeks the will of God.
God, we know, is not found
in the past, although we have had an
illustrious history. God was present
then, God is not there now. The present
is only fleeting . . . always giving way to
the future. God is always a God who goes
before us, inviting us to embrace the future.
God is eager to give to us as people. Vision
is more than seeing what is apparent; vision
is the ability to see what is emerging.
Vision is more than just a vision statement;
it is a holistic sense shared by congregation
and leaders alike, that God is calling us to
a common view of ministry and life...and
moving forward together to embrace that
future. Thanks be to God for such a
faithful, fruitful and bold Future!
This was an
article by the Reverend Lowery Brantley of
the Wesley Monumental UMC in Savannah that I
wanted to share with you.
