Team

Team

Know why I like baseball so much?

The hot dogs? Yeah, that’s part of it, but there’s more.

Let me count the ways:

There’s the pure, beautiful geometry of the game. Everything happens at home plate, the point of contact, then radiates outward, into expansion…fair or foul. The bases make a perfect square, set within wedge…a circle.

The moment you first walk into a major league stadium as a child and see the outfield unfold in a shade of green you didn’t know existed…it’s all over. Hooked.

There’s the first clear day of spring (like today), when the hint of warmth on the breeze reminds us of the scorching days that will follow. We unfurl like baby seedlings in the springtime sun at the crack of real wooden bats and pop of new baseballs on old leather.

Every team is a winner, and hope springs eternal. The boys with the tomahawks on their chests have a new bullpen and something to prove. Life is good.

But the thing that I love most of all about baseball is the beautiful interplay of individual effort and team achievement.

Baseball is a team sport. Nobody wins or loses games by themselves.

But baseball is also a deeply personal athletic endeavor.

The moment of confrontation between pitcher and hitter happens on a mighty individualistic plane.

One person throws the ball. One person swings that bat. Only one.

From there, anything can happen. The series of individual defensive and offensive efforts that follow begin to form a collective outcome. In the end, a team wins or loses…together.

It seems to me that life, and ministry, follows a similar track.

Truly great things happen when individuals recognize their gifts, and begin to act. No one swings the bat for anyone else (ok, I know…pinch hitters, right --- not quite a perfect analogy).

Even so, it’s rare that any one of us can even accomplish what’s truly possible without the help of some committed “others.”

I get to watch those “committed others” do the things God has called them to do and gifted them for…all the time. What a blessing that really is.

Last year, a group of individuals had an idea for future ministry at SOTH. They formed a team to do a new thing. Watching their work unfold has been a lot of fun.

Our communication team began to assess all the ways SOTH speaks its message to the world. They found the right resources, formed the right relationships, shared positive ideas and put those thoughts into action.

Today, www.sothumc.net looks a whole lot different. It’s so exciting, and I really hope that you’ll go spend some time there and see what I mean.

Our new logo and website went through multiple generations, possibilities and re-workings. Our church council members gave input and feedback. A new idea began to emerge.

The red and black colors are from our United Methodist denomination, as are the symbols of cross and flame. The design communicates energy and vitality, one of SOTH’s defining characteristics. The “path” metaphor says so much about our church: we don’t judge folks, we invite them. We don’t think we’ve got it all figured out, but we’re convinced that God does. Our path points to the cross, and together we move toward life, grace, redemption and new hope.

Life is good. So is the team.

Today, you’re not just “on deck,” you’re “in the box.” Pick up the bat, and when the moment comes, swing it like you mean it. God will do the rest. Each individual effort makes us part of the team. Together, we’ll do more than we’d ever thought possible.

Grace & Peace, and welcome to Lent ---
that great season of preparation and possibility,
Adam

LIFE AT SOTH: Send your friends to our new site! Let’s See What We Can Do!

Everybody please take a minute and check out our new site, www.sothumc.net! Even better, forward our address on to the folks in your address book, and let’s see how many hits we can generate this week! We’ve got a brand-new fancy-schmancy counter, and we want to use it. We’ll let you know how many folks you sent our way next week!

Many, many thanks are due to all the people who served on the communication team last year, and to the good folks at Details Communications who designed our site and the other new print and electronic tools that you’ve seen and that will be forthcoming. The team was chaired by John Sheffield with awesome creative input from Jeff Seymour and many hours from our new webmaster, Andrea Vantrees. Great job, team!

SOTH Land Update: This past Sunday, the members of SOTH voted nearly unanimously to place 24 acres of property under contract for purchase! Our new location will be just west of our present one, ½ mile west, down Dorsett Shoals Road. This is only the beginning of a process that will play out over many, many more months to come. Please keep SOTH in your prayers and know that we always appreciate any help you have to give. We’ll keep you posted.

Congrats to Kimberly and Scott Samples on the birth of their new baby girl Daegan, born yesterday morning!