Checking Your Map

by Nancy & Andy Peterson

Editor note: This story appeared in the October 14 issue of the Westminster News.

Nancy and I have been members of Westminster for 34 years. This church has been part of the fabric of our lives and the lives of our two children—baptisms, Sunday school, confirmations and a wedding.

Westminster has a "home" feel and has provided a safe harbor on many occasions. Opportunities to teach Sunday school, to serve on various boards, and to participate in other volunteer activities have always presented themselves as a privilege rather than an obligation. Look around the next time you are involved with something at Westminster…I guarantee that you will be absolutely impressed by the caring and committed people who surround you.

Oddly enough, all this gets me to maps. Nancy and I really enjoy hiking. We’ve had the opportunity to do so in some pretty remote areas. It quickly becomes obvious that a good map is critical, especially when you’re not sure exactly where you are and not sure at all of how to get where you want to go.

It strikes me as a fitting analogy for our faith journeys. In that journey it is equally important for us to discern, “Where am I now?,” “Where do I choose to go?,” and “How do I get there?” Every day we venture into unknown terrain which contains the entire range of human experience…excitement, boredom, love, fear, happiness, frustration, hope, loneliness, and on and on. Being lost is a terrifying state of being. A very unique map is required.

Westminster Church is that map place for us. The maps come in many forms including the written and spoken word. Directions are available from fellow travelers who are familiar with the path you are on. One of my favorite and most useful maps was left by someone named Paul quite a while ago and consists of a single sentence, a group of words really:

“Go into the world in peace, be of good courage, hold fast onto that which is good.”

We support Westminster church because we cannot imagine what our lives would have been without it. This is the day the Lord has made…It’s a beautiful day! Remember to check your map before you head out.