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Connecting Knowing Loving Growing
United Methodist Church September 2012 Issue
Experience
“Will You Faithfully Participate… By Your Presence?” When we join the church we make a pledge to faithfully participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Throughout the month of August we focused on prayers. As we turn the calendar into September, what does it mean to faithfully participate by our presence? Presence means “being there.” It means “showing up.” I think the first thing that comes to mind is consistent participation in worship. I think faithfully participating with our presence does mean consistently participating in worship; but I don’t think it stops there. I think it also means being present in the committees where we have made a commitment to serve. It means showing up to the Sunday School class, Bible Study, or Small Group that I’m a part of. It means participating in acts of service: both inside the church and outside the walls of the church. But I also think it means going a step further than all these things. I think it means picking up the phone, or even going to someone’s house when we know there is a problem. We need to make sure our fellow Christians are not going through rough patches alone. The Bible clearly commands us not to forsake "our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near" so that we can "stimulate one another to love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Apparently when the letter to the Hebrews was written, there were already those who were neglecting their responsibility to join with the local church for worship, fellowship, study, service, and mutual edification. The famous preacher Charles Spurgeon compares such people to a brick in a sermon he wrote more than 100 years ago. “There is a brick. What is it made for? To help build a house. It is of no use for that brick to tell you that it is just as good a brick while it is kicking about on the ground as it would be in the house. It is a good-for -nothing brick. So you rolling-stone Christians, I do not believe that you are answering your purpose. You are living contrary to the life which Christ would have you live…” Do we stand alone as a brick that lays in the yard all by itself, or do we join with other bricks and build something important? John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, goes on to say… ”The New Testament knows of no solitary religion.” What he means is that the scriptures indicate that Christianity is supposed to be done in community, not by ourselves. Being present shows that you care about the life and work of other Christians, and that you have made being part of the body of Christ a priority in your life.
“Do we stand alone as a brick that lays in the yard all by itself, or do we join with other bricks and build something important?” - Preacher Charles Spurgeon
Throughout September we will look at “presence” from many different angles. We will look at our presence and participation with others in the Christian life; but also God’s presence in our lives, as well. I encourage you to make the ministry of presence a priority once again this September. May the Peace of Christ be with you. Pastor Doug
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