The new year is off and running. For many of us, it feels like it is running quickly! With an early Easter this year, the season of time between the Feast of the Epiphany and Ash Wednesday is shorter in 2016, only five weeks. Lent will be here (February 10) before we know it. This season of “ordinary” time after Epiphany is a time when the Church focuses on the light of Christ made manifest in the world through his ministry among us. It is a time for us to focus on our mission together (thus we will offer an adult forum series entitled: “How in God’s Name Do We Live Together: On a Mission.”).
How are you a part of the mission of the Church? This season may be a time for those who have been waiting for an opportunity to get more involved at St. George’s to say, “I’m interested in…” (and if you’ve told someone and not gotten a response, tell them again!). It is not too late to join our Pilgrim’s Path classes which are a way to go deeper in our understanding of both the faith as well as the ministries of our church.
Apart from the formal “ministries” of the church, we live out our mission every day in acts of prayer, service, and giving. One thing I have tried to emphasize is that we are all part of the “pastoral care” of the parish. This was part of our prayer partner project and the neighbor to neighbor stewardship campaign in the fall. We are all called to care for each other in and out of seasons, so that we can continue “giving as one,” one Body in Christ. We have a “One Body Response Team” that is available to respond in times of need, but any of us can pick up the phone or send a message inquiring after the well-being of one of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Any of us can take the service bulletin home each week and pray for the people listed there. Any of us can perform small acts of kindness with great love.
May God use us as “missionaries” to fulfill our common purpose to “restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” (Book of Common Prayer p.855)
Your brother in Christ,
Joe+
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