“The Sovereign Lord is my strength. He makes me as surefooted as a deer able to tread upon the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:19)
Y’all. I’m struggling to write the newsletter article this month. Not because I don’t have
anything to say or to share, but because I feel like there is so much to communicate. July has
been a roller-coaster month for so many in our community. There has been loss, abundance,
death, birth, frustration, celebration, financial difficulties, new jobs, things breaking down,
unexpected blessings, accidents, arguments, weddings, broken relationships, people getting
sick, people getting well… the list goes on. And then there’s the unrelenting heat that keeps us
drained, on edge, tired and just plain hot. I am both excited and nervous about our food truck
potluck. I feel the pressure to have this new thing “succeed.” (As I write this, we are a week out
from it.) But sometimes, just doing the new thing is the big win.
In August, we are going to focus on deeper discipleship and our earnest worship of God. In John 4, Jesus tells the woman at the well, “the time is coming, indeed it is already here, when true worshipers will worship the Father I spirit and in truth.” You’ve heard me talk about being more than a believer, we are called to discipleship. But perhaps before and integral to either of those, being a believer and being a disciple, we must be worshipers. What does it mean to worship God? Worship is Sunday morning in gathered community. Worship is our individual prayer times and bible studies. Worship is so many things – when we do them out of our love for God to the purpose of blessing God’s heart for God’s people. Worship is a purposeful lifestyle, not just a moment in time.
So, in this month where we push more deeply into our discipleship and our place in God’s
church, we’re going to be preparing for September. In September we’re going to revisit the
story of EFUMC. How we were started, how God has moved, what God has done and how.
We’re in the process of putting so many amazing pictures together and organizing the written
histories that have left to tell us the story of where we come from. I’ll be asking people to pre-
record a story or two to share in worship. Or perhaps in person during the worship. We will
remember our strong foundation and together, listen and dream of the church we are building
for tomorrow.
I’m going to ask each of you to take some time literally walking the property, the buildings and the farm…ask God to bless what God is doing here, ask God to give us whatever you think we need… also ask God to show you what we’ve done in the last 7-8 months that has blessed GOD- how God has delighted in us as community. How have YOU been encouraged and blessed by the church in the last 7-8 months. How have you been able to help encourage and bless OTHERS through the church in the last 7-8 months.
The Wesley Challenge begins August 1st . If you are not part of the Facebook Group, let me know and I will add you.
In Jubilee,
Pastor Michelle