That’s the theme for our Igniting Ministry advertising thisSeptember. Nearly a million households in the Saint Louis Metropolitan area will receive direct mailings in the first two weeks of September from The United Methodist Church. Cable TV watchers will see an ad showing a woman carrying a gift to others, then being surprised as she receives one herself. Both of these ads will direct viewers to www.unitedmethodist.org where we can find a United Methodist Church close to their home.
So, let’s roll out the Welcome Mat! September is Open House Month at New Hope and all other United Methodist congregations. Many of you have been off on vacation, or just otherwise taking a break from church activities. Come back to worship! And bring your friends, relatives, associates and neighbors with you. Greet new people with a friendly smile.
This summer has been a soul-searching time at New Hope. We voted in June to go ahead with our first building addition. Many have been understandably anxious. Can we pay for it? Are we really going to grow? Are we ready and willing to organize and provide the spiritual growth and Christian education programs desired and needed by our community, and for our own youth and children?
And, we know we are in tough economic times. Inflation is up to a clip of 5.6%. We are feeling it as we fill our cars at the gas pump and check out of the grocery line and look at our bank statements to see what is left. The number of calls for food and other emergency assistance is on the rise, as some are being laid off by the Chrysler plant or other jobs. Some of our members are stressed about possible impending change at Anheuser-Busch where they are employed. Others have been down-sized and received salary cuts, or have no job.
This summer some of us have been wondering whether I as your pastor and the others on our staff can effectively lead us into an uncertain future. Your Staff-Parish Relations Committee has had several long meetings in which they have listened to concerns, then shared them with me. Together we are taking a deep, hard look at ways the church is operating, how we approach issues of leadership, how to better address the needs of our members, and motivate and engage more lay leaders to serve. As your pastor I’m being challenged to look at my own style of leadership: the way I preach the Word, and relate to others.
So, we’ve been looking deeply at what the scripture says about Spiritual Gifts, and how they are for building up the Body of Christ. I encourage you to take the spiritual gifts inventory, which you can find online at www.gbod.org/equipped, or you can pick up a copy in the church Fellowship Hall. Then bring your results to one of our Gifts Workshops, led by Bonnie Miller and Sue Thomure. God is calling us to use the spiritual gifts we have each been given to build up the Body of Christ. Your pastor can’t do it alone. The church staff can’t do it without you. We are all in it together. Share Your Gifts. Serve With Others.
Rev. Mark Harvey
