Over the past year and a half, our congregation has been engaged in a process of discernment. Instead of focusing on our wants and desires, we have actively sought out God’s will for the First Presbyterian Church. We have turned to prayer and Bible study. We have examined our heritage, our ministries and our community. Through all the efforts, we realized that God is calling us to a particular ministry here in this place and time: We are equipping the Church for the life of faith.
As Christians, we affirm that Jesus Christ is Lord. We accept the historic teachings of the church. We acknowledge our faith must be lived out in word and action. Moreover, we believe that God wants our congregation to take seriously Jesus’ command “to make disciples.” We are called to walk with others--to equip the Church for the hard work of worship, study, service and witness. Beyond simply imparting the facts of faith, we must equip the church on how to be Christ‘s ambassadors, how to develop the disciplines of prayer and Bible study, how to make the tough choices. Nonetheless, it would be the height of hubris to think we do this alone. In fact, we are merely instruments of God’s grace.
Now is the time for leadership. In the coming weeks and months, we will be practically applying our calling to our life together. What does worship look like in an equipping church? What is the best way that Christian Education can equip others for the life of faith? How do we do mission? What is stewardship? How can our facilities serve our calling? This won’t be an easy task. It will require energy, intelligence, imagination and love. Still, these are exciting times for the First Presbyterian Church as we respond to God’s call.
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