April 1 is in just a couple of days, and aside from that being April Fool’s Day, that day marks my being here in Sullivan for 2 years now. Now let me tell you: I love the windows in my office!
They are so tall and they give me a great view of the plaza just across the street. From here I got to watch the construction of the Civic Center. So much light comes pouring into my room (especially right now that it’s sunny!) that half the time I don’t bother turning on the overhead lights! On days like today, where there’s not a cloud in the sky and the grass is green, it’s easy to imagine all of the possibilities of the youth football programming, kite flying, and people just enjoying the space that will happen as Spring finally decides to stay warm and opens up into summer. Basically, it’s really easy to be optimistic!
Truthfully, optimistic is how I’m feeling about the church. Much like the windows in my office, I have seen some truly wonderful and inspiring things happen through the congregation! Children have received coats for winter, elementary students have received hygiene items at the back to school bash, members have stepped up and visited home-bound people, meals of appreciation for the high school baseball and football teams have been served, etc… it’s been awesome!
It’s not all been sunshine, though – there have been some cloudy (even stormy) moments. At the end of the day, though, we recognized that we are family – fellow children of God – and holding onto God’s love has seen us through those days. As I type this, I am looking at the huge dry-erase board in my office which has Acts 5:31-32 written on it-
“God has exalted Jesus to his right side as leader and savior so that he could enable Israel to change its heart and life and to find forgiveness for sins. We are witnesses of such things, as is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (CEB)
Without going too deep into it (otherwise you’ll already know my sermon for Sunday morning!), what we see here is that Jesus is leading God’s people back to God, which requires necessary change. People’s hearts and lives are being changed as they realize that they need God but have been walking away from that source of love and hope. And you know, as God’s people who have seen the impact of Christ in our own lives and in the lives of others, we are witnesses to these changes. In order to enable the sharing of this witness, the Holy Spirit has been granted to us to help facilitate further change for the growth of the Kingdom of Heaven.
I have seen the Holy Spirit move in the hearts and lives of our congregation in several ways. One of those ways is that we have a team that has been participating in shared learning experiences in the Fruitful Congregation Journey, learning how to help Sullivan First UMC become more fruitful in ministry, and have they ever been excited in this educational process! I just sent in the application for Step 2 of the Fruitful Congregation Journey which leads up to a consultation weekend where everyone in the congregation will be invited to not just learn some of these key concepts but also given the opportunity to participate in a more fruitful future for our church. (If you want more information on that, feel free to talk to me, Don Hunt, Seth Whitman, Jan Horwell, Chuck Horwell, Jennifer Ramsey, Ralph Ramsey, or Jim Conner.)
Another way that I have seen the Spirit move is the hospitality that many of you have stepped up in showing to not just visitors at our church but at Revive Sullivan Events as well! In some of the conversations I’ve been having with various members, I’ve been noticing more of a trend lately of looking outside of the church for service opportunities – which is awesome! I’m praying that not only do I see that trend continue, but that we will learn how to engage with the community in even more and powerful ways that the light of Jesus Christ might be shared with our community! Obviously, there are many more ways in which the Spirit has moved throughout our church community, but this is getting longer than I originally intended!
I would like to thank all of you for allowing me the privilege to minister alongside you in Sullivan these past two years. During this time I have been stretched, pulled, and challenged. I’m not the same man I was upon my arrival here, and I would like to believe that I am a man that is even more dependent upon God, and I hope that this shows in my actions, preaching, and teaching. And I’m so glad that this journey isn’t over yet!
I’m excited about going through the first part of the Believe Series over the course of the summer in Sunday morning worship and Wednesday night classes, engaging in the community more with upcoming Revive Sullivan events, having fun with all of you in church family events like the upcoming sock-hop, and so many other things!
I would like to invite all of you to join me in witnessing the change of heart and life that is made possible, as well as the forgiveness for sins that Christ offers us SO THAT we make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Let’s share with the community of Sullivan that there is Hope in Christ this Easter Season and beyond!
