As we head into the fall I would like to take a moment to be reminded that no matter what the circumstances are in life, God calls us to make a difference for His kingdom. Matthew 5:13-16 says,
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
What do you want to do with your life? It’s a question that we are asked from the time we are kids. It might be easy to think of this in terms of a job, or a family. But what about living a life with meaning? What about truly making a difference that will impact lives for eternity. If we are called to flavor the world we live in and illuminate seemingly dark places, how can we effectively do that when our contact with others seems much more limited. Many people would say they want to live a life of significance, but we’re not sure how to do that. How do you know what God is calling you to do with your life? Where do you start? Who do you start with? How do you stay on track? And if you lose your way, how can you find it again?
Following Labor Day, our sermon series we’ll be reclaiming the word “calling.” It’s not just what we’re good at, or what we choose to do. Calling is a sacred word that speaks to our innermost beings. As we go through this series, we’ll be reminded that calling isn’t as much about “what” as it is “who.” In order to discover God’s true calling on our lives, we need to focus less on what we’re doing and more on what we’re becoming: People Growing In Full Devotion to Christ.
Speaking of growing, we will be resuming our online “Zoom Bible Study” on Wednesday September 9th at 7pm. This is a great way to connect with others from the church while remaining safe at home. Links to our Zoom meetings will be available through email and the church Facebook page. This is the opportunity you have been waiting for to continue growing together in our spiritual lives.
I’m excited for what we are calling an “Eat-n-park” event in the church parking lot following worship on September 13th. Everyone who feels comfortable attending is invited to procure their own lunch as we gather in or around our vehicles to share a meal together. The parking spots will be marked to remain socially distanced from one another, music will be played over our sound system and there will be a rock painting opportunity for our children. We expect to have a ton of fun and enjoy the fellowship with one another. September 20th will be our rain date in case of inclement weather on the 13th.
In addition, during the latter part of the month, we will be unveiling our 2020 Mission Project 44718. This project is designed to take the gospel message to every household within the church zip code. We will need everyone in the church to participate to pull off a project of this magnitude. From being a part of the organizational team to the prayer team to assembling information bags and distributing them there is a place for you to get involves. I want to thank Tim Zornes and Beth Smith for helping lead us to be salt and light in our community for Jesus Christ.
This month I end with a challenge given by the apostle Paul found in Colossians 3:17,
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Paul says wherever you find yourself, whatever you find yourself doing, take full opportunity to do it for Christ and give God the gratitude that you have the opportunity to do it. Together let us focus once again on our goals and work together to make an eternal impact and be reminded that what we are experiencing now is only temporary. The best is yet to come!
