Most people are familiar with the phrase “Rising from the ashes.” The idiom is connected to the idea of emerging renewed, revitalized, or reborn as something different following some type of destruction or ruin. This phrase could easily be connected to the birth of one of the most popular toys on the planet. A fire in a carpentry shop in Denmark in 1924 resulted in the desire of Ole Kirk Christiansen to expand the business. The “Great Depression” forced him to rethink his business model and he focused on smaller projects which resulted in him making wooden toys. Following WWII, plastics became available in Denmark and he purchased a plastic injection molding machine. Making an improvement upon an existing toy, an empire was built. The name of the company chosen many years before as part of a contest within the company, a contraction of a Danish phrase which means “play well,” Lego has become synonymous with the empire.

My grandson Oliver is a Lego master. He can follow the directions and construct difficult replicas with ease. A section of my son’s basement is a dedicated Lego area. The Lego dynasty includes movies and a TV show. I have used Legos in sermons and they are a staple in my pre-marital counseling sessions.

Legos are designed to interlock with other Legos to produce various forms and shapes. The value of the Lego is beyond the individual piece but in the connectivity of many. The church, the body of believers, are much like Legos. God designed the church as the body of Christ with intricate connectivity between each person to form His body. The importance of corporate worship is only part of the connection process. The fellowship of believers creates a family atmosphere that allows for genuine care toward each person. The beauty of God’s design goes beyond gathering in a corporate setting on a Sunday morning. God’s desire is for the connection that is available within the body to sustain, equip and minister to all.

Today as you consider pausing at noon to Bend-A-Knee in prayer may you ask God to show you how you can invest in another life within the body of Christ at CVZ.  This Sunday we are having a combined service starting at 10:45 with a luncheon following the service. I can think of no better way to connect with others in the body, beyond just sitting in the pew on a Sunday morning, than to gather around a meal in fellowship. I pray that you will consider joining with us for our corporate worship service and the luncheon that follows.

Stay connected to God & to others

God’s Peace,

Pastor Mike