This Sunday many of our neighboring United Methodist Churches will be welcoming new pastors for the first time as the season for new appointments begins.  I can remember my first July appointment in 2010 when I was appointed to Dorsey Emmanuel because my actual first appointment began in November as the pastor of Wesley Chapel retired on medical leave.  It was my first Sunday preaching two services and beginning a season in my life when I would no longer return to the public school system in August.  I believe we have grown together and advanced the church of Jesus Christ together – yet the Church is never without its challenges.

The Church is a collection of people believing in Jesus as their Savior and those seeking to know more about who Jesus is and what it means for their life when they accept Jesus as their Lord and become baptized.

In fact I have always said the Church should be a hospital for sinners and not a resort for saints and if that is true the Church is going to have some imperfections, personalities and behaviors that need some healing and growing.  That means that each of us have to show grace and receive grace.  In other words we have to accept some imperfections in others and we have to acknowledge that we too have imperfections and realize that our behaviors are being received and tolerated by the grace given us.

Now don’t get me wrong – that doesn’t mean that we get to continue in all of our bad habits just because someone is supposed to be giving us grace.  We should be working daily by studying the Scriptures, seeking a spiritual mentor and talking to God daily in prayer to assist us in giving grace to others but even more importantly transforming us from the old self centered us into a true disciple of Jesus Christ who asks “What Would Jesus Do?”

If we are to be the church of Jesus Christ for the world and thereby making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world we must first allow the Holy Spirit to transform us from “this is just the way I am” to “this is who Jesus made me”!

PRAYERS

Roy and Betty, Almeda, Charles and Eleanor, Clif and Jess, Leon P., Frank and Arlene, Eileen and family, Amie, Nathan and Abby, VBS, Mission and Outreach opportunities, our local and world leaders

“Christ Centered, Growing Relationships, Serving in Mission!”

Rick