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Dear Friends,
So much has happened since I last wrote a pastoral
letter to you back in November that it is hard
to know where to begin. Best, I think, to begin
with some of what I am learning in my Scripture
study. This year I am using a pattern of reading
a Gospel, then an Epistle, then back to another
Gospel, then an Epistle, Gospel, Epistle, Gospel,
Epistle, and so forth. In this way I will have
read the four Gospels several times by the time
I make my way through the New Testament. This
keeps the life of Jesus consistently before me.
I
recently finished John's Gospel, and in this Lenten
season of examination it might be helpful to lift
up for your meditation a few of the penetrating
queries Jesus poses to people of his day. Perhaps
they can be questions of examen for you and me
as well. How do you answer these questions?
1:38 — "What are you looking for?"
5:6
— "Do you want to be made well?"
5:44 — "How can you believe when you accept glory
from one another and do not seek the glory that
comes from the one who alone is God?"
5:47
— "If you do not believe what Moses wrote, how
will you believe what I say?"
6:66-67 — "Because of this (Jesus' hard sayings
about the spiritual life) many of his disciples
turned back and no longer went about with him.
So Jesus asked the twelve, `Do you also wish to
go away?'"
8:46 — "If I tell the truth, why do you not believe
me?"
10:32
— "Jesus replied, `I have shown you many good
works from the Father. For which of these are
you going to stone me?'"
11:25-26
— "Jesus said to her, `I am the resurrection and
the life. Those who believe in me, even though
they die, will live, and everyone who lives and
believes in me will never die. Do you believe
this?'"
14:1-2 — "Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's
house there are many dwelling places. If it were
not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare
a place for you?"
14:9 — "Have I been with you all this time, Philip,
and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen
me has seen the Father. How can you say, `Show
us the Father?' Do you not believe that I am in
the Father and the Father is in me?"
20:15 — "Jesus said to her, `Woman, why are you
weeping? Whom are you looking for?'"
21:15,
16, 17 — "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
SOJOURNING
HERE AND THERE
I have been traveling a lot these days, and it
is always good to learn and grow from those I
meet. Two very wonderful local RENOVARÉ Conferences
have been held in Boulder, Colorado, and San Angelo,
Texas. They were among the most diverse gatherings
in terms of denominational representation that
we have ever had. In both cases the warmth of
the people and the eagerness to know God and grow
in grace were moving experiences.
At
San Angelo we had a time for the healing of human
hurts, and I think eighty percent of the people
came forward to be anointed with oil and receive
prayer. In Boulder we received several useful
insights about what we could be doing better which
will help us be more effective in the days ahead.
Both
local Steering Committees did fantastic jobs,
working as they did for many months, and I especially
want to thank committee chairs Valerie Hess of
Boulder and Virginia Chase of San Angelo. We thank
God for the good work he has begun in people and
pray with confidence that he will bring this work
to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.
I
have also led six retreats for various constituencies
of the Azusa Pacific University family (i.e. students,
staff, faculty, etc.), as well as speak at schools
and churches, and "the power of the Lord has been
over all" as George Fox often said. I leave soon
for meetings in England, Sweden, and Germany—your
prayers for these gatherings will be appreciated.
Via
the two-minute radio spots I have been traveling
to some of you while staying at home. These have
been going well and are being aired over the Morning
Star Network on some fifty stations around the
country. We have taped about a hundred spots,
though only about half have aired so far.
This
period of travel and speaking will be coming to
an end in the spring of 1995. Then for several
months I hope to sequester myself for a major
writing project.
THE
WRITTEN WORD
That is not to say that I haven't been writing
during this time of travel and activity. I have
completed a book, Prayers From The Heart as well
as a prayer journal, Coming Home. Both will be
published in September.
Four
RENOVARÉ Resource projects are at various stages
of completion: Jim Smith is nearly done with a
book on how Spiritual Formation Groups can enhance
their efforts, Carol Mullikin is writing a book
about retreat, Janet Janzen is doing a book on
music and the devotional life, and I am working
on a book on the five traditions. All of these
projects still need final approval from HarperSanFrancisco,
but the prospects look good. I don't even want
to venture a guess as to when these Resources
will be published, but we will keep you posted.
ON
TO DENVER
We continue to work on relocating our RENOVARÉ
offices to Colorado. Many details need to be worked
through, not the least of which is office space
for RENOVARÉ and affordable housing for Lynda,
our office manager, and her husband Phil.
Last
Wednesday we had a marvelous Spirit-led Board
of Trustees meeting about these matters. Their
conclusion: "Like Abraham's servant, Eliezer,
we should load up the camels and go in search
of the guidance of the Lord." (Lynda wanted to
know if this meant that she should be looking
for a bride for her son, Lyle. What a literalist!)
The next day Lynda went to Denver to see what
she could find, and wonderfully some Christian
business leaders agreed to help us cover the rent
for office space in or around the Tech Center.
This is a fantastic gift and opens up all kinds
of new options, not the least of which is more
affordable housing in that area for Lynda and
Phil.
One
of the most difficult issues facing us in the
move is a home for the Graybeals. Housing costs
are nearly double in Denver over what they are
here in the Wichita area, and because of Lynda
and Phil's limited income and resources we are
trying to find ways to make this move work for
them. One possibility the Board considered is
co-investing in their housing (i.e. RENOVARÉ would
own, say, twenty-five percent of the home by paying
that percentage of the purchase price). We have
looked into the legal ramifications of this step
to be sure that it will not involve us in "personal
inurement" (an individual benefiting from a non-profit
ministry) and have been assured that this will
not be the case if it is done properly, following
the necessary guidelines. The Board has approved
this step.
I
want you to know that throughout this process
we have considered many other options, but I feel
strongly that keeping our team intact is vital
to the long-term health of RENOVARÉ and our ability
to fulfill our mission. The Board has concurred
in this conviction—emphatically so!
All
of this to say we need your financial help. For
almost three years we have prayerfully considered
relocation and believe moving to Denver is the
right decision. We believe that it will position
us in a place and in a way that will help us be
of the most service to the most people. We also
know that, even after our most careful planning,
there will be hidden costs that we could never
anticipate. If you possibly can, I hope you will
help us take this important step.
Peace
and joy,
Richard J. Foster
P.S.
RENOVARÉ is on solid financial footing thanks
to prudent financial planning and the generosity
of many. We have never gone into debt to finance
any ministry effort and never intend to. Our financial
reports are available to anyone who requests them.
— RJF
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