Musings From Behind The Pulpit
As we know, 2014 was a challenging year for our congregation with several people leaving by death, by move, or by choice. Still, there were a lot of highlights.
Both the bazaar and turkey dinner raised record amounts, as did the Global Mission Dinner. We had more opportunities to strengthen our relationship with God through small groups than in any recent year. We have given (including relevant portions of our ministry shares) nearly $9,000 for mission on all levels: local, national, and international.
However, 2014 ended at the moment when the ball dropped in New York. At that moment, The all knowing duo of Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy told us what we should already have figured: 2014 was no more; 2015 had arrived.
We can spend this new year focusing on 2014. But if we want to move forward in Christian service, we cannot allow that now bygone year's challenges - or its successes - to divert or deflect our attention from the opportunities provided by 2015. That would be a waste of our time [and a large dose of irrelevance for Ryan and Jenny].
So in the spirit of New Year's resolutions, and with the determined commitment demonstrated in our baptisms and confirmations, I invite you to take out a writing instrument and complete the rest of "my" musings by making written commitments, putting them in a sealed envelope, and attaching the envelope to the December page of your calendar. Then, on the Sunday after Christmas, I want you to open the envelope and see how well you lived up to your commitments.
These are the commitments (with spaces in which you may write :
I will attend at least ____ worship services.
I will invite at least ___ persons to attend worship and sit with me. While they are here, I will introduce them to the pastor and at least __ other persons.
I will introduce myself to at least ____ visitors or other worshippers whom I do not know, get to know something about them, tell them something about me, and (with visitors) invite them to fellowship time.
I will attend/ participate in at least ____ hours of educational and spiritual growth programs offered by the church.
I will attend at least ____ of the special services (Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday Meditation Time, Easter Sunrise, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve)
I will give ____ hours of service to and through this congregation over and above attending worship.
I will give ______ more than my pledge or normal offering to help meet the congregation's expenses.
I will forgive ___________ whom, to date, I have been unable to forgive.
I will approach my time at PUMC with joy rather than complaint and with gentle discussion rather than personal criticism.
I will work with others to develop a new ministry for our congregation, perhaps: _________________________
For those of you who are prepared to make some or all of these commitments to Christ through this congregation, I say thanks in advance, for what will then be a happy new year.
Jim