April
Posted April 4th, 2008 by mhaney
This is Eastertide, the season between Easter and Pentecost. In these days, the Church celebrates Jesus’ resurrection and the power of God’s love at work in the world. Below are stories of resurrection reality in our midst.
Abounding in Grace and Good Works
In the early spring our Outreach Team took a risk. They decided not to take an offering for a mission trip to Biloxi, Mississippi; volunteers were committed to going but would go to offer their labor without additional funds. Instead, Outreach decided to take an offering for a housing and medical mission to Guatemala. We chose to support the passion that Dr. Kirk & Sue Tyler had for that mission. They and Dr. Mark Stid and others would serve the poor in the mountains outside Guatemala City. Our congregation responded generously in giving to the Guatemala mission. And then God’s surprise! The Friendship Baptist Church, highly invested in the Guatemala mission, wanted to share in our mission to Katrina victims. In a gesture of Christian generosity, that church has given our Biloxi Mission team $10,000 to buy supplies for home repair in Biloxi. The words from St. Paul come to mind:
Whoever sows generously, reaps generously.
God is able to make all grace abound to you,
So that in all things, at all times, having what you need,
you will abound in every good work.
(2 Corinthians 9:6,8)
Worship for all God’s People
Over the last few months, a new vision has been forming in the Administrative Council, Worship Ministry Team and in your pastor. The vision is of a third worship service offered on Sunday morning. The service would have two goals: to target young adults and to respond to those seeking a more contemporary expression of worship in music, atmosphere, media and presentation of the message. We plan that this service would provide an open door to people who haven’t found a church home and that it would provide a setting for members who seek this style of worship. Details of schedules for Sunday School and adult education will need to be worked out. The worship change may also provide more options for Christian Education in our church.
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus said: I will go ahead of you to Galilee. Jesus reaches out to a wider world. I believe there are young adults and families who are thirsting for Streams of Living Water. I believe Jesus is urging them to find a church home and a place to worship. I believe God is calling us to offer our church as a place for worship and growth in Christian community.
Grace and peace,
Abounding in Grace and Good Works
In the early spring our Outreach Team took a risk. They decided not to take an offering for a mission trip to Biloxi, Mississippi; volunteers were committed to going but would go to offer their labor without additional funds. Instead, Outreach decided to take an offering for a housing and medical mission to Guatemala. We chose to support the passion that Dr. Kirk & Sue Tyler had for that mission. They and Dr. Mark Stid and others would serve the poor in the mountains outside Guatemala City. Our congregation responded generously in giving to the Guatemala mission. And then God’s surprise! The Friendship Baptist Church, highly invested in the Guatemala mission, wanted to share in our mission to Katrina victims. In a gesture of Christian generosity, that church has given our Biloxi Mission team $10,000 to buy supplies for home repair in Biloxi. The words from St. Paul come to mind:
Whoever sows generously, reaps generously.
God is able to make all grace abound to you,
So that in all things, at all times, having what you need,
you will abound in every good work.
(2 Corinthians 9:6,8)
Worship for all God’s People
Over the last few months, a new vision has been forming in the Administrative Council, Worship Ministry Team and in your pastor. The vision is of a third worship service offered on Sunday morning. The service would have two goals: to target young adults and to respond to those seeking a more contemporary expression of worship in music, atmosphere, media and presentation of the message. We plan that this service would provide an open door to people who haven’t found a church home and that it would provide a setting for members who seek this style of worship. Details of schedules for Sunday School and adult education will need to be worked out. The worship change may also provide more options for Christian Education in our church.
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus said: I will go ahead of you to Galilee. Jesus reaches out to a wider world. I believe there are young adults and families who are thirsting for Streams of Living Water. I believe Jesus is urging them to find a church home and a place to worship. I believe God is calling us to offer our church as a place for worship and growth in Christian community.
Grace and peace,