Hello Vine,
What are you doing this weekend? Not just generally (i.e. “I’ll be relaxing,” or “doing some yard work”). Specifically, what are your plans? Don’t have any? What plans would you like to have? Make it vivid.
“I’ll take two hours to mow that part of the lawn, at 3” height, while listening to the latest Ross Douthat "Interesting Times" podcast interview (because it is indeed interesting) and then I’ll pull those weeds from that front garden bed that seems like it is waging battle against me and my mulching. I’ll get hot and sweaty, but that shower will feel so nice, and then I’ll play ping pong with my boys in the cool basement.”
You have just cast a useful vision—you, my friend, are a visionary!
Of course, none of this has become reality yet, but it is no less real and powerful for you today. It shapes your decisions, hopes, promises, research, and even how you look at that garden bed the next time you pass by (“I’m coming for you, rogue Fescue!”). It still needs to be implemented, but that’s the easy part. You’ve imagined a future—the vision is cast—and it will now guide you over these next 48 hours or so.
We do this all the time in short spurts, yet we often don’t take the time and energy to do it long range. Sure, we’ll plan and implement, but what are those plans working towards? Old Testament theologian Walter Bruggemann observes:
“Questions of implementation are of no consequence until the vision can be imagined. The imagination must come before implementation. Our culture is competent to implement almost anything and to imagine almost nothing.”
Your Vestry has been taking the time to imagine a powerfully real vision for The Vine. These leaders from within our membership—who you have vested with authority to discern—have given extra energy, had many conversations, and taken the risk to “imagine the future”—albeit in a stretched-out fashion: “What is The Vine doing a decade from now?”
In other words, what is the spiritual footprint we imagine The Vine uniquely having in Haywood County in our future? What are our current gifts and inclinations? What will the future feel like? What might we be doing, and why?
There is more that will be discussed—and much to be implemented—than can be put into a single note. But at this time, we humbly offer the description below. It is only a starting point for our next decade together, but it is also the culmination of deeply prayerful and sensitive work. We feel it is both descriptive of our current reality and aspirational of our future, giving us a guide for decision-making:
The Vine is an intergenerational worshipping community in and for Haywood County. We are following Jesus on a journey of hope from our brokenness toward healing, wholeness, and restoration through the ancient rhythms and practices of the Christian faith.
This is your express invitation to continue engaging with The Vine’s vision. At this time, we humbly offer the description (above) that we feel pretty good about. It is both descriptive of our current reality and aspirational of our future. It will give us a vivid guide for decision-making without being too narrow. It is only a starting point from which we (you, me, those to come) must do the work of implementing for our next decade together. It is also the culmination of deeply prayerful and sensitive work.
Like our imagined weekend plans, we may have moments where we feel hot and uncomfortable, or frustrated at our garden’s “weeds.” We’ll have moments that feel like a refreshing shower or cool basement relaxation, or the simple joy of family play. But a vision is more than any moment along the way — it is a journey.
Questions for your reflection: How do you imagine walking this journey with The Vine? What speaks to you specifically from this vision?
Michael+