This past Sunday, we remembered the impactful legacy of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The sermon connected the essence of walking with Jesus to our commitment to justice—a commitment that goes beyond mere words and becomes a daily practice. It’s about envisioning a world where love and God’s peace reign, where racial differences become a bridge bringing us together, and where an inclusive table is extended to everyone.
Inspired by theologian Karl Barth’s insight, we were reminded to approach life with both the Bible and the contemporary issues of our time. Following Jesus, as emphasized, isn’t a journey with closed eyes but one where we navigate with openness, inviting others to join us and extending help to those in need.
Reflecting on the call of the first disciples, we were reminded that God already sees and understands our challenges. Sometimes, the obstacles we face—symbolized by potholes and construction barriers—are perhaps redirections, urging us to slow down, read the signs, and engage more deeply with the world around us.
Six months ago, we embarked on a journey. The Bishop and conference brought us together to be in ministry alongside our neighbors and serve those in our mission field. Our vision for the future is to continue our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Without a clear vision, we may not be able to see accurately. Without a refined vision, we may go around and around as in a roundabout. The mission is to make disciples. The vision is to transform the world. We refine and define our vision by assessing our present location or where we are now and asking ourselves where we want to go from here. If we consider that everything is fine as is and we want to stay where we are, then by all means, we do not need to do anything. To remain idle is like a church on hospice.
However, if we envision a future where we are reaching more people for Christ and are committed to following the ways of Jesus, we must define our steps and create a pathway to get there. We evaluate our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Continuing to do the same things repeatedly and expecting different results is not the answer. We must continuously recruit new people in new positions to bring their ideas to the table and to have new conversations and diverse perspectives.
Put simply; it’s like mapping where we’re going. Our map must first know our current location before calculating our destination. Only then will our map app line up our path with a plan to get to where we want to go. And along the way, we may encounter delays and obstacles, but with a plan in place, we can deviate and continue the journey.
In the past six months, our worship attendance increased slightly. As I have heard from several people, there is a new energy in the room. My vision for the next 12 months is to engage more people for Jesus, specifically younger people. One way we will accomplish this is with the help of a Children’s Ministry Director. The position is currently open and available. Another way of reaching more people is by enhancing our music ministry. Weekly, our media team continues to need help. One week our livestream works well; the next week, our sound is lost. The sound is excellent in a particular section of the sanctuary, while our voices are barely heard in other areas. Every aspect is a work in progress, but we can better define a path forward by analyzing our current position and making improvements.
Ultimately, our worship attendance will consequently increase as a result of our commitment to engaging the people in our mission field. We must sometimes ask whether we are genuinely committed to following Jesus and continuing his mission, or are we standing in the way, causing a delay? I pray that we are all committed followers and seek to move forward.
a journey in existence 