Every season exhibits change. In Ecclesiastes 3:1 we find these words, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Fall signifies its change through the different colors we see on the leaves, cooler temperatures in the air and the harvesting of crops. Fall along with every other season regularly reminds us to expect change. Often we don’t like it. Often we fight it every step of the way. But like it or not, the one constant in life is change. We all face changes every day and one thing we have learned about 2020 is that change can happen more rapidly than we ever thought possible.
As a church, it’s important that we continue to ask God what he requires of us. Part of asking what he requires of us is asking the question, “What needs to change in us?” We take time to pray and ask for God’s leading. We take time to reflect and evaluate where we have been in order to know where we are heading? God calls us to holiness. God calls us to change. As your pastor, I ask each of you to continue pursuing your calling as we have talked about this past month. Remember this, who we are in Christ is way more important than what we do for Christ. I would say it’s of utmost urgency for us to become more like Christ in our everyday living and that requires change in us.
Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. “
This year has been a year like none other in my 27 years of professional ministry. Your church leadership has been seeking God’s will for His church. We have embraced the digital opportunities God has given us with our streaming service, Zoom bible study and the expansion of our social media ministry. We will continue to seek out new technology and opportunities. I sound a little bit like the Star Trek introduction, but in reality, we are going places and doing things we have never done before. In doing so we recognize the message of God’s love and His plan of redemption will never change but the method in which we convey it absolutely will. This pattern has been happening for thousands of years and it will happen long after we have gone on to our heavenly reward.
Speaking of change, we have one coming on Sunday, October 4th. You should have received an email or noticed online our plan to reopen children’s and youth ministry during our 11am worship service. This one hour programming will run concurrent with our worship service. If you have not received the details or are unable to access it online at our Full Devotion Facebook community page, please contact the church office and we will send you the information via U.S. mail.
I know some of you have asked about other future changes regarding worship times and ministries. Allow me to assure you that we continue to pray and seek God’s leading as well as evaluate current information regarding Covid-19. As we are aware, things can change by the hour, day, week or even month and some things we just don’t know when or if they will happen again. I have certainly appreciated your patience during this time. What I can tell you is that Covid-19 has forced us to evaluate our current model of ministry and ask ourselves what needs to be different as we move into the future. We must come to terms with the realization that things will never be the same. I recently heard a quote of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus that emphasized this reality, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.“ How true that statement is!
Within this newsletter you will find some additional opportunities coming in October for you to engage and connect with your church community. Additionally, I hope you will join us during our Sunday mornings. In fact, on the first Sunday of the month, we will have some incredible news to share with you that you don’t want to miss. This news is going to help us take our ministry to the next level and give all of us new opportunities to “Grow in Full Devotion to Christ!”
Once again, I hope to see you in-person or online in the month ahead. You are all dearly loved!
Pastor Kevin
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