WORSHIP
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Pastor's Message
14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ 16 But not all have obeyed the good news;[a] for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
-Romans 10:14-17
This past month we opened our Vision and Vitality taskforce meeting at Cross of Christ with this text. In the discussion we noticed that the Apostle Paul is calling God’s people to proclamation but also to movement. Quoting Isaiah he says “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news”. It is an important thing to consider in our work as we explore what it means for Cross of Christ to be a “lasting presence” in this time and in this place. What does it look like to proclaim the good news not merely inside our walls and on our grounds but amongst our neighbors and our communities?
So often in churches as well as other organizations we think in terms of “how do we keep this thing going another year/decade etc.?” Certainly, thinking ahead and concerning ourselves with longevity is important. However, we often fall into the trap of making the means for ministry the ends themselves.
After all, success is often measured by attendance graphs and balance sheets. We become tied up in preserving the institution for its own sake while neglecting the “why”. Why does this congregation exist and how does God want us to leverage our assets and resources to do God’s work? Where is God guiding our feet? Who will we meet and what is God up to in those meetings? These are questions worth asking at both of our congregations now as ever. Even in this fallow time of summer vacations and recreation I pray that we as God’s people can ponder this question anew.
As Ever in Christ,
Pastor CJ