If you have been following us in August, then you know that we have been speaking of the Mission and Vision Statements of the United Methodist Church. Last Sunday we started looking at ways we can continue to
LOVE BOLDLY,
SERVE JOYFULLY, and
LEAD COURAGEOUSLY.
While we explore the scriptural mandate for this vision, I also invite your ideas for us to live out these mandates in our communities and transform them into spaces that are safe and welcoming for all God’s beloveds. We have some exciting ideas that we are working on:
We are planning on “Opening” our building on some Thursdays to provide a space for anyone to come and spend time- no agenda, no plan, the space is for you to come and hang out, have a cup of coffee, play a board game or read a book- whatever will suit your heart in the moment. If the idea will work- we will look at possibly opening the space every Thursday, and will need more volunteers for it.
We are working on updating our showers so we can provide that service to the neighbors around us.
And, I am grateful that we will hopefully be able to work on these ideas even while I am away on my spiritual renewal leave, which honestly I am looking forward to. I will be starting my leave on September 1st and use that time to rest and reset. I am grateful that you have supported me in this decision and I pray that you will support all the lay leaders who will step up and keep the space and worship run smoothly.
I also wanted to share with you an article, written by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, in response to the recent announcement by our current administration that faith communities could engage in supporting candidates for political offices. I invite you to read the article and inform yourself on the nuances of this possibility.
Beloveds, may we never forget that church is not the building but the people that are a part of it, and unless we are making a difference in the loves of our neighbors, we can’t claim our identity as a United Methodist Church!
So, let us help ourselves to be a church in the neighborhood that represents God’s welcome, God’s love and God’s message of care and support! What ideas do you have? Let me know!
May God bless you as you do so, and may you be a blessing to all you meet.
