Growing in faithfulness

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6) 

I invite you to memorize this verse from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians as we get ready for our annual meeting on February 4, 2024.

As we gather, we will have the opportunity to look back at the past year and reflect on God's faithfulness. We will take stock of where we are right now, and we will take some time to look ahead and think about who we are and where we might be headed.

I want to remind us that it is critical for us to focus first on our health, and not on size alone.  The temptation is to ask: “How can we add new members?” “Will we be able to fund the budget?” “How will we grow our church?” 

How big (or small) we are is not the issue.

The critical questions are: Who are we (vision)?*  What is our purpose (mission) here in Grand County?**  Are we healthy and maturing spiritually?  Are we laying our hopes, fears, needs and wants before the Lord and seeking His will and direction?  Are we thankful for what the Lord has done, is doing and is yet to do?

These are questions that we must focus on in the weeks and months ahead.  These questions draw us up out of survival and maintenance and move us out to join in the life, work, and mission to which God calls us.

Sometimes this growth comes about through small shifts in our attitudes and perspectives on how we view our Christian walk. We shift from going to growing. We grow and mature in Christ as individuals and as a congregation:

• as we shift from going to church to growing in our worship?
• as our point of view changes from going to a bible study to growing in our study of the scriptures
• as our understanding of giving and receiving transitions from going to get what we can out of church to growing in our giving for the growth of Gods kingdom
• as we see ourselves not simply going to serve, but growing in our service of others

These changes in attitude and shifts in perspective come about not out of religious obligation or duty or coercion. They are brought about by God’s love for us, our love for God, and love we have for one another in the body of Christ.

So, as we shift from going to growing, we give thanks for a faithful God who loves us so much that he has not left us as he found us but is transforming us into the likeness of his Son.

So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.  Romans 12:1

Blessings,
Matthew+

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (BCP p.832)

* “To be a caring and welcoming community embracing the Love of the Christian journey.”
** “Bringing Jesus Christ to the heart of our community.”