“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps.119:105, NRSV)
Advent Greetings Church!
As the days grow darker, you are invited to journey towards Christmas and the light that shines in the darkness. As I think about our coming journey together, I am thankful for another journey we are already on!
In October, I was blessed to attend the Courageous Congregations Cohort (or C3) Journey in Indiana with members of our team (Josh, Teri, Karin, Tori, and Deb.) During the first stage of our journey, we meet with pastors and congregations who were actively using the Five Muscles of Ministry to build vibrant and healthy congregations serving the gospel.
Two churches that inspired us were Broadway UMC lead by Pastor Aaron and HeavenEarth Church lead by Pastor Ross. At Broadway we heard about a congregation that is always asking questions for their future as a congregation, especially: “What gifts already exist in our community?” and “How can we support them?” These questions have a lot for us to pray over and connect with as well; as we grow in awareness of our communities’ gifts, graces, blessings, and needs.
Pastor Ross’s congregation is a church relaunch/plant. In his ministry, the congregation has tried several different approaches to ministry, some worked and some failed. From their experience, Ross learned the importance of failing well and encouraged all of us to learn to develop comfort by acknowledging our failures so that we can learn from them and move on to the next rendition of ministry.
These experiences inspire me and I hope will inspire you in the season of Advent to seek the return of Christ in a new way as we grow as disciples and love our community as God loves us. Spend time in Bible Study and intentional prayer each day, consider how you can respond to others as a blessing, spend time getting know people you aren’t as familiar with, and celebrate the gift of God’s enduring hope, peace, love, and joy.
Over the next several months the C3 Team will be sharing ways we can all live into the muscles of ministry as we journey with Jesus from the darkness that can overwhelm to the new thing God is doing.
May our Advent journey be filled with repentant hope that leads us closer to Christ.
Pastor Sarah
