Kudos to Katherine (our Director of Family, Children, & Youth Ministries) and John (Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Mission) for organizing the first of hopefully many church-wide retreats this weekend.

Rebekah and I went out to join them for the day Saturday, and we were impressed with the deep sense of community and the spirit of genuine love that so obviously covered everything. A lot of the young families were there, but we had good representation from just about every demographic.

Simply put, it just felt good to be together.

Our retreat leader, David LaMotte (David’s father, John, was the founding pastor of WFPC back in the 90’s) talked about how we can be “World Changers” as people of faith. David is someone I would describe as a natural spiritual savant; by that, I mean a person who owns and projects a spiritual sensibility that transcends religion or affiliation. He is a Christian, a follower of Jesus, but in a broader sense David is someone who has probably known God from the moment he was born.

I would have valued the opportunity to talk with David more, because we are evidently on the same page when it comes to a lot of what it means to live as a disciple and to walk in faith as an active participant in salvation rather than a passive recipient.

Hmmm, I like that phrase. I believe we are active participants in our salvation rather than passive recipients of salvation. Passive Recipients versus Active Participants.

I have often written about salvation as being our joining in with God’s initiatives in this world. Salvation is a trajectory that carries us into eternity with God, not a ticket to heaven.

Anyway enough of that for today! Enjoy these photos from Camp Rockfish.

In love and – always – because of love – DEREK