Pastoral Note | by Pastor Luke Davis

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together… And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Rom 8:22-23

The death of a beloved DCC member has rightly led to an outpouring of grief. We are groaning and lamenting with the family, ourselves as friends, and among our whole church body. As we eagerly await the final redemption of our bodies, we get to grow in our personal stewardship of grief and our relationships with others who are grieving. To that end, I would like to share a few helpful points about walking in grief.

• Affirm the impact – The way in which people process death can vary widely, but it is uniform in that it makes an impact. Whether a person feels shaky, angry, morose, or any other combination of emotions, we can validate the extreme feelings with which we meet death because it is alien to God’s original creation plan. Don’t try to deny or simply dismiss this grief as silly or unnecessary. Death is wrong. It shouldn’t feel right.

• Draw near – Facing the death of a dear one is startling. We can easily withdraw from others in our grief or from those who are grieving. But this is neither healthy nor in line with God’s design. He wants us to weep together (Rom 12:15). What can you do in these circumstances? Draw out a grieving person’s memories and connections to the person who is gone. Or, if you’re grieving, find someone to whom you can honestly talk out what you are feeling. Processing aloud will likely lead to tears, but it is good and healthy. It will also protect against grief “stagnating.” And in Christ, we are not ever really alone. Ps 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Turn to him in prayer. Grieve with God, not apart from him.

• Resist grief’s temptations – Each person grieves differently, but there are some temptations which are common to grief: doubt in God’s goodness or presence, anger over God’s providence that leads to distance from him, and self-pity as we allow pain to orient all of life around ourselves instead of God.
  The ministrations of the Spirit, fellowship of his people, and the passing of time help with these. Nonetheless, be on the lookout for these temptations in yourself and brothers and sisters around you.
  Grieve in the Gospel – Gently remind yourselves and others that Christians have an abiding hope beyond death (1 Thes 4:13). Our eternal life has already begun in Jesus. Death is a portal to access a new, richer phase of that everlasting life. Death should never be seen as right, but in Christ, it is the last trial to endure before faith becomes sight.

• Be patient – Grief is weird. Some aspects are predictable, others are not. A person can swing wildly from one intense state to another, or arrive at a place of stability out of the blue. Unfortunately, this can mean that friends pull away from someone in the throes of grief. But that’s not the way the church is to act. Grief is often an opportunity for us to “bear with one another in love” (Eph 4:2).

Dear ones, let’s look to and lean on Jesus, together, as we mourn our beloved member’s death. Allow this stanza from Katharina von Schlegel’s “Be Still My Soul” to give shape to your heart:

Be still, my soul! when dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shall you better know his love, his heart,
Who comes to soothe your sorrow and your fears.
Be still, my soul! your Jesus can repay
From his own fullness all he takes away.

PS. If you find yourself “stuck” or debilitated by grief, I encourage you to reach out for help to our Care Ministry. Members, you should also feel encouraged to reach out to your shepherding elder with any questions or needs.

For the Kingdom,
Pastor Luke

Pastoral Note | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Beloved DCC,

We’re on the cusp of an exciting move. Such moves are a little bitter sweet, aren’t they?

We’ve seen God do amazing things over the last ten years in our little former night club on the corner of Western and Battery. We were just over four years old when we moved in. It was our first somewhat-permanent space after years of nomadic setting up and tearing down. Never mind its lack of curb appeal, its trash-ridden alleyway family entrance, or its HVAC that sounds like a car accident when it starts. That didn’t matter, it was ours.

Since then, over the last decade, we’ve seen extraordinary answers to prayer meeting prayers. We’ve welcomed and sent hundreds of members during member meetings. We’ve heard countless stories of the transforming power of Jesus from the portable baptismal. We’re reveled in over 500 expositional, Jesus-exalting sermons from the stage. Hundreds of kids have been discipled to know Jesus in the basement, many before they even walk. Hundreds more were counseled through sin, grief, and tragedy in the downstairs offices. We’ve sung 1000’s of God-glorifying songs in that long rectangle of a room. God uses spaces.

We’ve also endured significant hardship. When a local mega church imploded, we turned into a spiritual foster family. We’ve said goodbye to many loved friends; a sad, but understandable, consequence of gospel work in a transitional city. When one among us committed suicide, or was abandoned by their spouse, or needed help getting clean, or received a terminal diagnosis, sacrificial brothers and sisters rallied. We made multiple offers on other buildings, only to be repeatedly denied. We endured a once-a-century pandemic, political chaos, and social upheaval—all at once. Covid effectively cut our church in half. Yet, by God’s grace, here we are, stronger, more mature, and deeply rooted than ever. God uses spaces.

Yes, of course, God uses people. But, notice that He uses people in specific spaces: gardens, arks, prison cells, tents, deserts, whale bellies, castles, baskets, stables, islands, and more. Such spaces are unexpected miniature stages upon which his story continues to unfold in ways big and small.

Often, such stages are temporary. The Cherry Street Coffee on 1st Ave, which hosted the first DCC men’s discipleship group (DG), isn’t there any more. The Starbucks on 4th and Seneca, which served as my remote office for years, isn’t there any more. The Belltown Community Center on 5th and Bell, which hosted prayer meetings, membership classes, and discipleship training, isn’t there any more. I’m assuming 2333 Western won’t be there much longer either. Recognizing the temporary nature of God’s stages helps us to be thankful for them in every season, without growing too attached to them. After all, as in any play, the stage is merely a platform for the drama.

So, DCC, lets remember this as we move into our new building this weekend.

Let’s pray that the Lord will use this space as yet another stage for his unfolding drama of redemption in Seattle, and through Seattle to the nations. Let’s pray that He would use this space as a gospel outpost, and megaphone, for generations to come. Imagine how many people might come to know Jesus there. Imagine how many missionaries and church planters may be sent from there. Imagine how many hearts will be thrilled with the excellencies of Jesus, sins defeated, marriages reconciled, and legacies forever redeemed there. Let it be, Lord!

Let’s be profoundly thankful for this new amazing space, while remembering the stage is not the point, the drama is. What might He do next? Let’s find out together.

Christ is all,
-A