From the Pastor

Friday, October 30, 2009

My Sisters and Brothers in Christ, In Proverbs, the Bible's ancient book of wisdom, it says, "Where there is no vision the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18 ).  In other words, as God's people, we are called to live out of a sense of God's divine purpose for our life-- individually and as a congregation. For the church, vision is more than a human desire or the plan of a committee.  Vision is a conviction of faith, an assurance enabled by the Holy Spirit that God has a desire or a purpose for us as a congregation. Vision says, "Here is what God wants us to do." Some Christian communities vest this responsibility in one person, who is then followed with unquestioned obedience.  In the United Methodist Church we believe grasping the vision of the future God desires for us is the work of all God's people.  Together, clergy and laity, share the high privilege and humbling responsibility to discern God's will.  Vision comes through prayer, Bible study, meditation on scripture, having faith-filled conversations with others about the direction of the church.   Grasping a vision of the future God has for us is not easy.  Unless some form or structure is given to the process of casting vision, it remains unfocused.  Unless people have a way to participate in seeking God's purpose for us, the support for any vision will be weak and unstable.   Unless the process of seeking God's desires is connected to the structure and finances of the church, the vision will lack power and purpose. Here at Faxon-Kenmar UMC we will be starting a new process of seeking God's purpose and future for our congregation. The name for this process is called the "Ministry Action Plan" or the M.A.P.  To provide a process for everyone to participate in seeking God's desire for us, each class, circle, service / witness group, administrative committee, ministry team, fellowship of friends etc. of FKUMC is asked to prayerfully complete a Ministry Action Plan.  You will be asked to first pray. Next describe what you, your team, class, group, or committee believes God is calling you to do in the next year.  A few other questions will help focus your M.A.P. Completed Ministry Action Plans need to be returned to the FKUMC Office or handed to an usher on Sunday, no later than November 15, 2009. These Ministry Action Plans will be used to build the budget for 2010.  In this way the people will have had a share in discerning God's will, of being part of building our vision of God's calling, and of having input into the scope of the budget.  In this way the budget expresses faith-- our faith in what we believe God is calling us to do.  The budget will not merely be a list of expenses,  it will be our plan to fund the ministry and mission we believe God is calling us to do in 2010. Please see the Ministry Action Plan form found in the newsletter.  Use this to discern what God is calling us to do and be.  Be part of the M.A.P. process this year! Yours in Christ love and service, Pastor David Brinker

 

< Prev		Next >