Priesthood of Believers

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people belonging to God,
that you may declare the praises of Him who brought you out of darkness
into His wonderful light!
I Peter 2:9

When people visit Lenape Valley, I often tell them that the strength of our church is not in the pulpit, but in the pews. St. Peter echoes that understanding in his letter written 2,000 years ago. “You are a royal priesthood.” During the Reformation, one of the great theological truths that emerged was the declaration of the priesthood of believers, that God works through His people not just through those who are ‘in power at the top.’ The church is God’s grassroots movement, that empowers the people to be God’s instruments in the world.

That truth has been evident throughout the decade that I have had the privilege to serve at Lenape Valley. The vision, courage, sacrifice, and determination of our people have humbled me. I am the least among you, and so thankful for the opportunity to share with you God’s mission of grace to the world. Using the movie image, we are a ‘band of brothers and sisters’, called by Jesus the Christ. The fellowship known as Lenape Valley Church is Christ-centered, mission-driven, and joyful in the life we share together. When I think back over the years, I see time and time again when we stood strong because we chose to stand together. Our strength has been a blessing not only to us, but also to our neighbors.

I remember when the pandemic hit and the world was swept up in chaos, our Lenape Valley team rallied to create our first live-stream worship on Facebook Live using an iPad. Remembering JR Wolff sitting on top of the communion table with an iPad in his hand filming that day still brings a smile to my face. Each week our technology and style improved as we welcomed people into the presence of God in worship. When other churches closed their doors, we kept ours open so that people could find support during the week. Our mission to our hurting neighbors grew exponentially as you dropped groceries at the door of the church for the Barclay outreach and gave generously to our Deacons’ Fund. Some even signed over their stimulus checks to help feed our hungry neighbors. I am so thankful for staff and volunteers who led with strength through those challenging months. I am so grateful for a faith community who chose to be light in that darkness! We stand strong when we stand together.

Last summer, just a week before our Belize mission trip, our Director of Youth Ministry quit. He walked out the door with all the planning documents- the daily devotional, the evening meeting plans, the room assignments, the work details. That could have been a crisis, leaving our team of over 40 people without a plan for our trip. But instead, our leadership stepped up to lead parts of the trip, working seamlessly with each other to provide a strong way forward. The end result: a peaceful, effective, even joyful mission experience for our whole team. We stand strong when we stand together.

Last summer, when I landed in the hospital in Seattle in serious condition, we were just one month from the launch of our fall program. Fall at Lenape Valley is a fast-paced, mission-driven experience, with many moving parts. I wondered: how could we be ready for all that was coming if I took the full month of August off to heal? But then I remembered that the strength of our church is not in the pulpit but in the pews. One by one, our leaders stepped up to bring vision and direction to our ministry. Our worship staff created worship and a fall concert that engaged the full gifts of our music ministry to inspire us to service. Our leaders created a 2025 Church Has Left the Building that was the most comprehensive mission outreach in the history of LVC. 30 Projects… 340 volunteers… 1154 volunteer hours… $20,000+ in donations and goods… Food for those in need, music for a nursing home, homemade meals for homebound, construction at Cornerstone, painting at Urban Promise, blankets for babies, farming to feed the hungry, medical supplies and a medical team to Mosaic in South Africa, Christmas boxes to children in 3 rd world countries, college care packages sent with love… and the list goes on… We stand strong when we stand together.

I hope we remember that truth as we move into this transition time. On Sunday, I announced that I will retire at the end of the summer. Our Nominating Team is ready to form a Pastor Nominating Committee to search for Lenape Valley’s next pastor. What an exciting time! But also, a time with many questions and concerns. So, today, God reminds us of the moment when the people of God stood on the edge of the Promised Land. Moses has just told them that he will not be the one to lead them in this next step- the mantle of leadership will fall to Joshua. God tells the people: “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid… for the Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8) That word comes to us today. Our God has a plan and a purpose. God has already gone before us into this transition. We just need to follow, trusting that God has already found the next pastor. But even more, we need to remember that the strength of this church is in our pews, and they will be here for years to come! Lenape Valley, you stand strong when you stand together.

With you, as we pack 25,000 meals on Sunday! Let’s stand strong together!
Anita