From the Pastor – June 2022

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for
with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16

We gathered in the fellowship room and told stories
about how we felt cared about by our church. The stories
were wonderful; cookies out of the blue, handmade cards
to express care and concern or just thinking of you, baby
showers and of course, meals on tough days. At its
essence, they are the stories of people that have been
God’s hands, feet, and sometimes ears. Just regular
people, like you and me, who took a minute to reach out
and share some small kindness. As they did these little
everyday things, they became God’s instrument of love
and peace for these people.

This group that met together is the newly reformed
Congregational Care team. Groups like this have come
and gone in the long history of this church. Their purpose
could be summarized by the passage from Hebrews above,
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for
with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

This is the right time for the Congregational Care team
to start doing their work. The past two years of relative
isolation have been hard on people’s physical and mental
health. The church has been the ideal tool to heal some of
this kind of suffering. Connection to each other reminds
us of our connection to God.

Over the next few months, the Congregational care
team will start reaching out to the people of the
church. They may call, drop off a plate of cookies or send
cards, like we have for years. Should they call on you, it is
because you are a loved member or friend of the
church. We want you to feel cared about. So, in these
ways the Congregational Care team is like the Mission
Committee, but for people who are already connected to
the church.

There is one more thing, though. Just as our lives
have changed, the world-wide church has changed a great
deal over the past several years. The Congregational Care
team is also looking for new ways to reach out. That is
why I write on their behalf. They would like to ask you
what ways do you feel it would be meaningful for this
committee to care for people in the church. What are your
ideas? What ways has the church made you feel
connected and cared about in the past? What are new
ways that we might not have thought about?

Since Jesus’ time, people of the Faith have been
known by how we love one
another. My hope is that you have
already been contacted by someone
from the church. I also hope that
when you are, it will feel like a
gift. Also, I hope it inspired you to
do the same, to love others in Jesus
name.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jim