Some people have a gift of recognizing and celebrating new growth. My wife, Serena, wakes up each morning to check whether her beloved native plants in the front yard have sprouted a new branch or budded new flowers, then shows me tiny greens and colors I may never have noticed.
Jesus reminds us to do the same in Christian ministry, as we plant seeds of Christ’s love and then allow God to bring about new fruit. So, let’s take a moment to celebrate budding, summer growth at AUMC:
First, our Missions and Outreach Committee has not only been reassembled over the past three years, but is now leading church members and neighbors on trips to Second Harvest Food Bank to volunteer, handing out more Lunches of Love each week than ever, and providing emergency food and shelter to neighbors in need.
Second, this past week I was also heartened by a well-attended Wednesday evening Gather service, with 21 in attendance even while several regulars were out of town. It dawned on me that Gather now celebrates 9 months of weekly meetings. Truly Gather seems to have taken root and is bearing fruit!
Finally, AUMC is benefiting greatly this year from its members’ generosity giving. Many of you have joined our church’s leaders and my own family in increasing your giving by 10% in 2019. As a result, we have made significant progress toward reducing AUMC’s spending deficit by the end of June. What’s more, we did this while embracing a more program-driven budget with added staff commitments and ministry investments. Great job, Church!
Let us continue to plant such seeds of love in Christ’s name, and be quick to celebrate together every new sign of growth.
Happy Summer
Pastor James Dollins
Well said, Pastor James. This is good information for those who are only able to attend on Sunday, or are home bound, and those not involved in every outreach. It is good to know about the many, many, good things going on at AUMC. Love the personal reference to Serena’s love of new growth in her new native plant yard. (You two are living models of Christian parenting and partnering.) Thank you for passing the peace and complimenting those members who have contributed extra of their time, talents, and financial support.