Summit Lake Mary: A Reflection of God’s Heart
The following was written by Sarah Joseph, intern at the Lake Mary campus.
The last thing I do on Sunday mornings before the Lake Mary service begins is help put down the chairs. Hunched over and weaving through the aisles of The Plaza unfolding the seats—it’s a pretty monotonous part of setup. But one Sunday during my internship, it just hit me. In less than an hour there will be people in these chairs—people who matter dearly to God. Just as I have seen firsthand how Waterford and The Plaza have their own multi-site stories, so does Lake Mary, and so does everyone who sits in those seats on Sunday morning. The stories and parables Jesus told reveal a lot about His character and the nature of God. In the same way, so do the stories of those who have been a part of the start-up of Lake Mary.
In an effort to capture a snapshot of these stories, a photo booth became part of my internship project. We handed chalkboards and chalk to Summit Lake Mary attendees and posed the question, “What do you hope Summit Lake Mary will be?” In the photos, people aren’t just holding up their hopes for Lake Mary. They are holding up words that identify the efforts that they are already making in this multi-site. Inviting. Fruitful. Home. It’s evident that a family has been created out of the Lake Mary campus already, simply because individuals are willing to come alongside one another, roll up their sleeves, and make Sundays as welcoming and inviting as they can possibly be. This family is willing to pray, serve, and connect in ways that set the tone for what they want the Lake Mary campus to be. And it’s clear through the photo booth responses that the heart of this multi-site is in the right place to make Lake Mary whatever God wants it to be.
Now on Sundays my favorite part is unfolding the chairs. It gives me a chance to pray over the hearts of everyone who will be there that day—the people who have made me feel so at home at a new campus where I knew no one. They remind me of why we do multi-site. My prayers for them on Sundays are simple. God, bless their efforts so that Lake Mary will continue to grow as a place where people can clearly see a reflection of Your own heart.
by Communications
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