Tend to the Roots
It’s Springtime! The time to get out into the yard, put new dirt in the garden beds, do some pruning, and even in some cases, moving or removing plants altogether. I must confess that Leanne is the primary gardener in our family. Thankfully, making our yard beautiful is one of her greatest joys, and she does it very well. My involvement is mostly around the brute force aspects of the job (like shoveling dirt into garden boxes, for example). All Spring, we have flowers popping everywhere and she loves to pick those flowers to make bouquets for us and for others. I’m always amazed at what she puts together as she clips flowers from every corner of the yard. Though my seasonal allergies do have days of protest, still I’m so thankful for the beauty she cultivates in our yard.
The most vital part of the yard, though, is the part that is unseen. None of the flowers bloom, none of the peas grow, none of the trees and bushes flourish, unless they have a good and healthy root system. And the more serious the gardener is about giving the proper care to the roots and the root needs, the more confidence they will have about the flourishing of the yard. And just like plants need healthy roots environments to grow, Christians also need healthy root environments to grow!
We have periodically offered a group study here at EBC called Rooted, and the goal is to help each of us who are committed to following Jesus “bloom” and “flourish” in Christ by paying extra attention to the “roots” of our faith. We are starting a new Rooted Group on Wednesday nights. It’s a short-term, 10 week life group, starting on Wednesday, April 13 and going until Wednesday, June 15. It will be led primarily by Duane Decker, and we will be meeting from 7:00-8:30 at the Decker home, which is quite close to EBC.
I have not been through the Rooted class myself, but I have heard great things, and I’m excited to be participating in this upcoming opportunity with the Deckers. The second sentence in the Rooted book explains the goal for participants: “Our goal for this experience is for you to deepen your connection with God, His Church, and your purpose in the epic story He is writing though human history.”
The group is open to anyone who would like to come. It can be a great place for new believers, for people who are interested in exploring what it means to follow Jesus, for those who are looking to make new connections at the church, or for those who want to do a little “soul spring cleaning”. Put me in that last category! It also just so happens to coincide with Youth Group, so it might just be a great opportunity for you, if you’re a Youth Parent / Couple, to come join up for 10 weeks and invite the Lord to do some Spring Cleaning in you! If you are interested or want more information, reach out to me, either directly or through the office. Duane, Jodi and I would love to have you join us!
Pastor Ryan Donovan
Categories: Evergreen Connection