FROM THE PASTOR September 2012 Dear Friends in Christ, It has always struck me that the "Christian Gospel" is all about relationships and mutual attitudes and missions. I have always particularly liked the passage in Acts 2: 4447 that reads: "All the believers were together and had everything in, common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." In these difficult times for the Church and society it seems a very good and practical approach to seek new relationships, partnerships and mutuality in mission and effort. We all need to embrace the blessings of partnership and mutuality we have a 282 W. Bowery. Some time ago at one of our Church Council meetings it was stated that we presently are "a three legged stool." In this metaphor the "three legs" refer to St. John/St. Paul, OASIS Opportunity Outreach and Pastoral Counseling Services. In a sense these three hold many things in common in "our" place and purpose and gain strength and resource from each other. St. John/St. Paul is presently a warm and welcoming community of worshipping Christians in an urban setting. We (SJSP) are not located in a residential neighborhood and we have to attract
or reach out to people having to drive by many other churches to get to us. We need to be creative and form partnerships to keep us going. OASIS Opportunity Outreach (born and bread at SJSP) is a ministry of outreach to at risk youth in our Akron Community. OASIS is also a separate incorporated entity and a recognized "Synodically Authorized Worshipping Community" of the Northeast Ohio Synod E.L.C.A. To date OASIS has added approximately 60 newly baptized youth to the SJSP membership. Pastoral Counseling Services is an ELCA ministry that also reaches out to children in our Akron community that have "diagnosed" health issues that are in need of this specialized treatment. PCS sees and serves approximately 2500 youth every week. In light of Acts 2: 46 we can see that "every day these separate but related ministries meet together in "our temple courts" to conduct important and related service and healing in our community. At the same time these "three legs of the stool" really do support and uphold each other by "holding many things in common and sharing as any has needs." To SJSP, OASIS shares:
• A specialized and successful outreach mission • Sixty new SJSP Youth members • An opportunity for our members to serve (at present approx. 20 individuals) To SJSP, Pastoral Counseling shares:
• Needed Financial help (rent and 65% of utilities) • Daily purposeful use of our building • Community recognition by way of people entering our building To OASIS, SJSP shares:
• A place to welcome, teach, care for and worship with youth • Volunteers for this ministry • A welcoming Church Family To OASIS, Pastoral Counseling shares:
• Refers youth needing spiritual care to OASIS • OASIS refers to PCS youth needing specialized treatment. To Pastoral Counseling, SJSP shares:
• A Welcoming place for children and their families to receive needed treatment • Kind and caring Church members witnessing to the grace of God. To Pastoral Counseling, OASIS shares:
• A ministry for youth needing spiritual care • Positive Christian Adult leadership • A safe haven for youth receiving care All that is left to say is that we all, "the three legs of the stool," need to simply "PRAISE GOD TOGETHER FOR THE RELATIONSHIPS AND MUTUALITIES AND ENJOY THE FAVOR OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN AKRON AND LET THE LORD CONTINUE TO SEND PEOPLE FOR HELP AND FOR HEALIN G." We are all in this together. We all serve the same Lord and savior. May God continue to bless and keep our "three legged stool" in his grace. Pastor Rick