On Sunday, the 4th of February our long-time
friends, Matt and Shannon, will take the reins of Capital City Church (CCC) in
Sacramento, from our long-time lead elder couple, Rick and Kathy, to become our
official “lead elder” couple. Rick and Kathy
are Matt’s parents, and the handover service is the culmination of years of
training and preparation for our “new Martinez’s” to lead the people in the way.
As I thought about writing this, I wanted
to find scripture to punctuate why this is so important, finally deciding on Deuteronomy
31, when Moses instructs Joshua in the way he should lead the Israelites…but I
realize that particular blog would be better written by someone else. I’m not a theologian; I’m just Janet.
I stand here, at another crossroads in my life, bearing witness to a change that will happen right in front of me, one I am excited about and so grateful for. My gratitude is not the kind that floats on the surface, it is more like a submarine gratitude that explores the depths of my soul like a littered ocean floor.
I stand here, at another crossroads in my life, bearing witness to a change that will happen right in front of me, one I am excited about and so grateful for. My gratitude is not the kind that floats on the surface, it is more like a submarine gratitude that explores the depths of my soul like a littered ocean floor.
Rick Martinez has been our pastor for most of our Christian
lives. We met him when we first attended
Vineyard, twenty-four years ago, a large church held in a warehouse off of highway 50 and Bradshaw Rd, where we
worshiped in passionate joy with about 700 other folks we called brothers and
sisters. When we first started going, Alicia was four-years-old and
Vince was seven. We grew up there,
spiritually and physically. My friend,
Jane Ritzema, taught me how to teach Sunday School and later became a mentor
for teaching in general. We met friends
that we are still close with today. Several new churches were started out of
that particular Vineyard.
Eventually, our
eldership—led by Rick—decided to leave the denomination and we became “Journey
Christian Fellowship,” worshiping in the same location, but with less
people. Our kids became teenagers during this time. One year, Rick and Kathy visited South Africa to attend leadership training with a group
called New Covenant Ministries. When they came back, we all went to Brea for a Leadership Training Time (LTT) which led to us meeting Hennie Keyter and Ray Oliver. They invited Mario
and I to go with them on a trip to Malawi—which we did—and our lives changed.
Our church changed its name to Capital City Church International, about the same time that Mario and I began traveling with teams in and out of Africa and Brazil, all the while growing in Christ.
The only reason Mario and I ever left our church was to move to Johannesburg,
when we finally settled it in our hearts that we should live there full time
and work into the continent in whatever way we could. Our church family at Capital City Church sent
us away with a grand party, and Rick and Kathy gave us their blessings. We came back, seven years later, our church
family welcomed us with open arms.
We have always been challenged; we have always been safe.
Here’s what I’m leaving out: All those years of attending
the same church, being part of the leadership in some way—all those years of living
and dying in so many ways—would have been disastrous had it not been for strong
leadership and counsel. I am no
different from any bum on the street who does not want to leave their comfort
zone and live for anyone else but myself. It is by the grace of God that I want to be
near Him. It is by God’s grace that
Mario and I have enjoyed strong friendship and strong leadership with Rick and
Kathy. Every season of our lives have been dangerous in some way or another, and
every season has been filled with my own self-pity and self-righteousness in
some way.
Our lead elder couple has taken
turns in recognizing our gifts and correcting our path when we start to stray away from God. Rick and Kathy have lived
lives of selflessness and sacrifice, but have never complained or acted like this
lifestyle was any kind of hardship. This
is the example they have set; this is what we have seen without fail.
Visiting from RSA -- 2008 |
So, communicating what it is like to have a lead elder who
you love and trust, is a challenge. There
are no words to express the magnitude of the importance a couple like this in our lives. In truth, the handover
would be a sad one if it were not for this: Rick and Kathy will be handing off
to Matt and Shannon.
We have faith in this decision, but not just because we hope
it will all work out. In a way, it has
been happening for years. Matt and Rick
are truly like Moses and Joshua, and we know that more than just strategy has
been exchanged.
Mario and I like to say that we knew Matt and Shannon before
their five kids entered the picture—and their eldest is 14. Part of me feels like proud parents of our
cool, young friends who will now be our lead elder couple, but in truth, we are
equals and friends before we are anything like parents. Even after we moved to South Africa, we maintained
close contact via email. Mario and I would come home for two weeks a year and
visit with only a few friends—usually ones we needed to catch up with on more
than one level. We had what we called “the
Martinez day,” which was lunch with Rick and Kathy and dinner with Matt and
Shannon. We would always leave feeling
encouraged, always equipped to go on, knowing that they knew our hearts and
loved us.
Taken at Burns night 2018--Matt in full beard and suit, Shannon in yellow sweater |
Last Sunday, I was kind of verklempt after Rick’s sermon. I went up to him and said, “Was that your last sermon as our lead elder?”
He just shrugged and said, “I don’t think so. Besides, I’ll still preach. Matt better let me preach now and then!”
Kathy smiled when he said this. “You know,” she said, “we’re not going anywhere. We’ll be right here.”
And then we went to a side-room in the church so we could have a planning meeting about our upcoming trip to Mexico.
On Sunday there will be no sacred ring that is passed from
Rick to Matt; there is no holy scepter transferred. No one will wave loaves of bread in the air,
nor will they sacrifice bulls or goats.
There will be a formal exchange, so we can point to the day, like a pile
of stones, and say, “That was the day the handover took place.” On Sunday, there will be service like any
other—but we’ll eat afterward and celebrate as family.
That’s right…I have to bring a fruit platter. Or veggies…Kathy said I could bring veggies.
In a world where churches change leaders like companies
change CEO’s, we feel fortunate to have been shepherded so carefully by the
same lead elder for most of our Christian lives. We trust that Matt and Shannon will be up to
the task and delight in it as much as Rick and Kathy have.
While I have been writing, Matt published his own blog about
the handover —complete with scripture!
Thank God.