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70CraigBlog: Blogging about
faith, ​spirituality and discipleship.

Blind Faith

10/7/2019

2 Comments

 
Growing up I would hear stories of how my mom's family would sit in the upper auditorium behind the stage every two years at World Conference waiting to hear where my grandfather was assigned. The minister and families did not know until announced on if they would be uprooted out of their current lives or be able to stay in their current fields.
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My grandmother and mother have both talked about how nerve racking it was. One year in particular my grandfather was moved unexpectedly to Texas. I cannot imagine the entire world conference body of the church finding out the news that would change your families life forever at the exact same time as you.


​Some of the moves were needed and had tremendous success while others altered families lives in negative ways. Part of this was the belief for the minister to have the faith to say "I will go where thou tells me to go." This blind faith to step out into the unknown was expected. What great trust they had and yet I believe faith doesn't always have to be blindly led.
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I think back on this story and amazed at the ministers for being willing to risk everything in what they believed.  However I am also somewhat ashamed for how the church treated their ministers and families. Luckily the church has understood that its really about our own personal callings and changed those practices to be more inclusive of the ministers life convictions. Lets look briefly at faith and how it impacts our lives.  ​
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Our Understanding of Faith

Faith is the complete trust or confidence in something or someone. Trust is the word that stands out to me. Relying on something outside ourselves.  To push away our own thoughts and fears and walk in the unknown of our futures. Everyday we walk not knowing what will happen and yet we trick ourselves into believing we are in control. We try hard to keep everything in a box just how we want it and yet over and over again life happens. Giving away that control allows us to walk in faith and open ourselves up to divine inspiration.  
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And yet I do not believe we have to blindly step forward. God wants us to be well informed and feel the calling in our lives. Preparation by researching, planning, and collaborating are essential steps in bringing forth something positive to society. When we think about faith this way it is understanding that God made us with gifts to be used in various ways. We are a part of understanding how those gifts will impact the world. It's not some giant already perceived plan but a continual moving forward with divine inspiration in creating something special. We are creating with God and moving out with the notion that God is with us and always has been.
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Community of Christ believes God still talks today and is present with us trying to create a world of peace. God calls us to be living witnesses in this world creating inclusive communities that welcome all people. Sometimes we become too comfortable in our lives. We come up with concerns, reservations and other reasons why something shouldn't be done, or we shouldn't do that. We take the easy, routine road instead of risking something something new.  Sometimes we just need a disruption.  This video by missional leaders shows a great prayer about how life can take control of us instead of allowing ourselves to be the vehicle in life to make change.  ​
God, where will your Spirit lead today? 
Help me be fully awake and ready to respond.
Grant me courage to risk something new
and become a blessing of your love and peace. 
Amen.

Go out there and risk something new this week! 
2 Comments
Jim
10/11/2019 12:11:39 pm

Your post elicits both good memories and sad memories. I grew up in the RLDS tradition. During my Jr High and High School years we attend a small RLDS mission (Delaware County Mission) near Philadelphia PA. When a seventy would visit our congregation, they usually were invited to our home for dinner following church. Mom would have a pot roast, potatoes and carrots in the oven; and fresh baked dinner rolls. We would sit around the table and listen for hours as the seventy shared about the church’s mission endeavors. It was a wonderful and memorable experience.

The sad part of the story is, that it wasn’t until many years later, I learned of the tremendous sacrifice these families made to support the missionary work of the church. Not only moving a lot, but living on a meager existence. I don’t think many of us knew or understood the sacrifice these families made. Maybe we were guilty in being blind in our faith, to not see and appreciate this sacrifice?

A Youtube video posted by Community of Christ on generosity, provides an additional reminder. Response to blessing of Worldwide Mission Tithes: Everett Graffeo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tos3kg1EK8

I remember a local congregation operating budget item which was titled “Elder’s Expense” which was to be used by the local congregation to provide assistance to traveling missionaries. Our local congregation still has a vestige of the Elder’s Expense fund which is now called “Guest Ministers” in the Topeka Operating budget. These funds are used to support bi-vocational or self sustaining ministers who visit our congregation to provide ministry. The traveling seventy expense is now covered by our World Mission Tithes. I continue to hear concerns from World Church leaders that the demand for visiting missionaries currently exceeds the Church’s capacity to respond. This brings to mind the following scripture:

“There are many lives waiting to hear the redeeming words of the gospel, or to be lifted from hopelessness by the hands of loving servants. But they will be lost to you without the generous response of disciples who share from their own bounty that others may know the joys of the kingdom.” Doctrine and Covenants 162:7

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Craig
10/14/2019 02:46:32 pm

Thank you for your response Jim! Yes memories both good and sad at the same time. There was tremendous sacrifice by the ministers and families during those times.

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    Seventy Craig Hidy

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    Craig Hidy like the majority of ministers in Community of Christ is a bi-vocational, self sustaining ordained minister.  He is a member of the Midlands Mission Center Emporia Team and an ordained Seventy.  He and his family, live in Topeka, Kansas.


    ​Please Note
    The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Community of Christ. We believe individuals should be allowed to have their own opinions and be at different places in their faith journey.

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