By Lisa Cardinal – Parker, Colorado … If the challenge of 2020 was only a global pandemic, feeling off-balance, not-quite-yourself, or generally out-of-sorts would be understandable.
However, 2020 is more than that. It is racial unrest and trauma, natural disasters, economic impact, loneliness, political polarization, among other things, all combining to create layers of unprecedented uncertainty and anxiety. To say this year has stretched us is simply an inadequate understatement.
At Newday Adventist Church, members and pastors began asking themselves, “What does it look like to be the church in 2020?”
Among the questions which came up during the discussion was, “How can we maintain an outward focus when we can’t be “out” in the ways we’re used to?” “How can we bring goodness, light, and positivity to our community during uncertain times?” And finally, “How can we do this together while maintaining social distance?”
After much thought and prayer, the members chose the Kindness Rocks Project with a mission of, “One message at just the right moment can change someone’s entire day, outlook, life.”
“We decided to launch our Kindness Rocks Project and Newday households of all ages began painting rocks with positive messages,” Lisa Cardinal executive pastor of Newday Adventist Church, said.
In October, members distributed the messages of hope on a popular walking, running, and biking trail that winds through Parker. The rocks were accompanied by the message: “Take one when you need one. Share one with a friend who needs some inspiration or encouragement. Leave one for another.”
Returning to the spot where the rocks were placed, a very few weeks later, revealed the success of the project as only a few remained.
“Our prayer is that as Newday’s kindness rocks were picked up, they truly came into people’s lives at just the right moment,” Cardinal added.
–Lisa Cardinal, is executive pastor at Newday Adventist Church; photos by Shawna Sajdak
