The Day after Charge Conference
Yesterday, several members of Elm Street UMC participated in our joint Charge Conference with Buxton UMC here in South Portland. We shared food, elected officers for the church for the year to come, and spent time in worship and learning together.
Our District Superintendents led us in worship in the Taize tradition--including chant, times of silence, and a significant time of prayer. While this style of worship was new to many, it seemed to resonate with at least a few in the crowd.
Afterward, Mike and Jan shared with us a time of learning: "Giving is NOT a 4 letter-word!" Ask around--it was funny, biblical, honest, open, and addresses many of the concerns about giving that I've heard at Elm Street and in other places.
I hope that everyone who had the opportunity to hear from Mike and Jan on this subject benefitted by it, and I hope all of you who listened to what they had to say will share what you learned with other folks in the congregation. We need to remember that tithing and giving to the church is our priveledged way to give thanks for what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.
We are not a large church, but Elm Street is blessed to have so many hard workers for a church this size. We are blessed to have people committed to our web ministries, people willing to work so hard to run our suppers, and people who have a heart to improve worship, to pray for one another, and to visit one another when in need.
Today, at the end of worship, I encouraged everyone present to join me for prayer, to help guide us as we move into the future God has for us. Tuesday at 6:30am, we will begin an intentional season of prayer for God's guidance at Elm Street UMC. Some of you might find it hard to get to Elm Street at that hour, but even if you cannot be with us in body, will you join us in spirit, and pray with us, calling on the Lord to guide us? I hope to see many of you Tuesday -- and I hope that the rest of you will set aside 30 minutes either Tuesday at 6:30am, or sometime Tuesday to seek God's guidance for Elm Street UMC.
I continue to keep all of you in prayer, and hope you are keeping one another in prayer as well, as we continue in ministry together.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor David
Our District Superintendents led us in worship in the Taize tradition--including chant, times of silence, and a significant time of prayer. While this style of worship was new to many, it seemed to resonate with at least a few in the crowd.
Afterward, Mike and Jan shared with us a time of learning: "Giving is NOT a 4 letter-word!" Ask around--it was funny, biblical, honest, open, and addresses many of the concerns about giving that I've heard at Elm Street and in other places.
I hope that everyone who had the opportunity to hear from Mike and Jan on this subject benefitted by it, and I hope all of you who listened to what they had to say will share what you learned with other folks in the congregation. We need to remember that tithing and giving to the church is our priveledged way to give thanks for what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.
We are not a large church, but Elm Street is blessed to have so many hard workers for a church this size. We are blessed to have people committed to our web ministries, people willing to work so hard to run our suppers, and people who have a heart to improve worship, to pray for one another, and to visit one another when in need.
Today, at the end of worship, I encouraged everyone present to join me for prayer, to help guide us as we move into the future God has for us. Tuesday at 6:30am, we will begin an intentional season of prayer for God's guidance at Elm Street UMC. Some of you might find it hard to get to Elm Street at that hour, but even if you cannot be with us in body, will you join us in spirit, and pray with us, calling on the Lord to guide us? I hope to see many of you Tuesday -- and I hope that the rest of you will set aside 30 minutes either Tuesday at 6:30am, or sometime Tuesday to seek God's guidance for Elm Street UMC.
I continue to keep all of you in prayer, and hope you are keeping one another in prayer as well, as we continue in ministry together.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor David
Labels: 2007, Charge Conference
posted by Rev. David Nicol at 2:33 PM
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