And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
Dear Friends in Christ,
One of our prayers was certainly answered this week: an early, clear outcome of the presidential election without unrest and accusations and legal battles. We expect a peaceful transfer of power this year, and for that we give thanks. As for the outcome itself: some will cheer, some will grieve, some will not quite know what to say. As I wrote in my message last week, our participation in governance is a great privilege and responsibility, but our ultimate trust is not in our government, but in God’s power and providence and God’s leadership of our lives.
For centuries, the Christian Community has survived the persecution of Roman emperors, barbarian invasions, corruption in the leaders of the church, bloodshed by brothers in Christ due to our divisions, and the swell of secular antagonism. Through it all, the Holy Spirit has been at work, nourishing and strengthening Christians in their life together, spreading and expanding the grace of God throughout the world, changing lives. The religion of slaves conquered the Roman Empire and barbarian hordes. The faith of the faithful in the pews and the faith of faithful leaders has held steady through the centuries, drawing us always close to God, always faithful to Jesus, our true King.
This Sunday, we will gather for our Annual Parish Meeting. We will hold our own (far more modest) election, adding new leaders to our parish vestry. But the strength of the parish lies not just in its leaders. The strength and vitality of the parish lies in God’s work in you and your faithful response to God with each other and with our neighbors in the world. Your daily prayer, your daily listening for God’s voice in Holy Scripture, your faithful obedience to God with generosity and grace to others, is how the church thrives. Through the commitments and disciplines that each of you take on, through your personal engagement, you are the church thriving and succeeding in our mission: growing disciples of Jesus Christ.
Come join us for worship and for the Annual Meeting this Sunday at 9:15AM. Renew your commitment to Jesus Christ in this church and in your civic life as well. Each of us, faithful to God and engaging with our community, will bring blessing to our church, to our community, to our nation and to the world.
God bless you with faithfulness and hope in his providence for the days ahead!
Yours in Christ,
-Tom