“Four dead in Ohio . . . .” So Neil Young lamented the events of exactly forty years ago on the Kent State campus. It was a pivotal time - the activism that led up to this was soberly tempered as colleges all over the country cancelled the balance of the semester and sent students home early. Coincidentally it was the year I graduated high school and entered college. Things were definitely toned down, as students turned inward (for better or worse). Within a few years there was nothing concrete left to protest except a paranoid president, and the seeds of what would eventually produce the crops of ‘80s yuppies were planted.
“Five alive in Hamilton . . . .” Exactly twenty five years ago several families met for the first time as a church in Hitchcock’s living room. There have been 1300 consecutive Sunday services since. None of those indigenous families remain, but the seeds were planted that produced the fellowship that exists today. A lot has happened over that time and I believe the foundation for Hamilton Bible Fellowship has been set that can be built on in future generations. Yes, we have a “concrete” place now (well, actually it is wood framed). The building is a step toward legacy, a presence that will persist beyond this first generation of leadership. But we know that a church is much more than a building. We want to establish a lasting tradition - a way of doing church that continues to be effective in the lives of generations to come. That has included our reflective and participatory style of worship, an expository approach to teaching/preaching, and an outward focus on involvement in the local community.
As I said at the annual meeting last month, over the next decade we will somehow be transitioning to the next generation of pastoral leadership. I don’t know the details or the timetable, but by 2020 it will happen. The real “concrete foundation” is Jesus Christ - he provides the continuity. He has since 1985. His grace has kept us here, and so he will keep HBF going after our time. We can be praying for this now, for preparation of the people involved and for the right timing. God is indeed good!