I was thinking about the church blog and the word Spring jumped into my mind. Spring means several different things to me. Spring can be a coiled metal piece meant to produce support for comfort based on the pressure applied. Spring can mean an offshoot of a river or stream. Spring can also mean an action of a person responding to something taking place of joy or imposing a threat. What does Spring mean to you?

Merriam- Webster says that Spring is a source of supply, a source of water distributing from the ground, an ultimate source of action or motion, a time or season of growth or development, an elastic body or device that recovers its original shape when released after being distorted, the act or an instance of leaping up or, resilience, energy, and bounce. That is much more descriptive than my simple thoughts.

In a biblical context, "spring" can symbolize renewal, rebirth, and the demonstration of God's promises. It is most often associated with the beginning of the harvest season and new life. In the New Testament, "Spring", as a spring of water", is used in a symbolic way.

In John 4:14, Jesus shares, "But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." What a promise. Spring is used to represent the Holy Spirit's indwelling power and gives me a promise of refreshment and renewal. This is Jesus’ promise for those who accept Him as the Son of God. 

On May 4,2025 will mean that my wife Jenni and I have been part of Enterprise Community Congregational Church for two years. I am happy that God is working in the body at ECCC which lets Him put more Spring into who we are through His Holy Spirit.

 As the song says, “ya’ ain’t what ya used to be”.  What an awesome experience it is to watch ECCC Spring forward through the water of our living God welling up within the body of His church and making each of us not what we used to be.

Come and check it out, seeing is believing,

Pastor John

Welcome to the Big Brown Church, I’m glad that you are checking us out. I find myself standing in the midst of living life. This is a daily event and this life that is all mine always goes on. Every day things happen. Every day the majority of events in this world are out of my control. With that reality, standing still, taking a breath, and saying, “Hmm”, is ok. Change, challenge, and choice is another continuum similar to life. It is also all mine, and just like life, it is given to me absolutely free.

Is life just a spectator sport? I get to watch things happen in front of me. I could just sit back and comment on the program, the performances, and the words that are happening and used. I can literally or figuratively applaud for all the things I agree with. I can share my approval with myself or others of what I believe is true. I could also stand from my recliner and boo at all the things that are wrong and even protest at the courthouse (again in my opinion).

To simplify my life and share my opinion of a way to deal with change, challenge, and choice. I find that to make easier, I can share things from God’s word. Mark 12:30-31, Jesus shares, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these. “

We at ECCC are just people in Wallowa county. I, the Pastor, am blessed to be part of who we are and who we as a family are becoming through our Savior Jesus Christ. ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’, is the key to Enterprise Community Congregational Church. None of us is perfect and none of us have all of the answers to living life. Living is easier when we have a family of fellow followers to walk with us as we wrestle with life. Change is challenging and requires us to make choices. We are all in this together. With God being our creator and creating each one of us to be who we are, feel free to come and join us or give me a call.

In needing His strength always,

Pastor John Chamberlain