Recently, while preaching at the National Prayer Service, Adam Hamilton, pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas quoted the writer of Proverbs saying that, “without a vision, the people perish.” He went on to say: “They don’t literally perish. They just bicker and fight and become so polarized they can’t get anything done.”
As Hamilton addressed the leaders of our nation, he reminded them that “we’re in need of a new common national vision. Not one that is solely Democratic or solely republican. We need one or two goals or dreams that Americans on both sides of the aisle can come together and say, ‘Yes, that’s what it means to be American.’ ‘That’s where we need to go.’”
If I were to rewrite those last lines for our context I might say that as a church we need one or two goals that the members of Ayden UMC can come together and say “Yes, that’s what it means to be a follower of Christ.” “That’s where we need to go.”
Over the past six months a change has happened in our congregation. Old divisions have begun to heal. Heated disagreements have been laid to rest. We have gathered over the communion table and over the tables of church dinners and pot-luck suppers, and we have begun to dream dreams of a shared future in this place.
It is time to begin sketching out what that future will look like. It is time to begin putting points on the map for our journey together over the next season of ministry here in the community of Ayden, NC. In that spirit I want to invite this congregation into a time of conversation. I want to provide space for us to give utterance to some of these shared dreams and to discern our the mission and vision of God for our church. At the last church council meeting I addressed the leaders of the church, asking them to help us in this work by asking some very specific questions to the classes, groups and committees that they represent. I also want to share those questions here as a way for all of us to begin dreaming.
There are five questions, and they are as follows: “Who are we?” “Why are we here?” “What do we believe? Who are the people in our community who are not currently committed to Jesus Christ, and what would it take for us to reach them?” And Finally, “what is God calling us to be and do in this community in this next season of ministry?”
Over the next several months I want you to think about these questions, I want you to pray about these questions, and I want you to join in the conversation. You can do that at your committee meetings, at your small group gatherings, in your Sunday school classes on our Facebook page or even over the dinner table. And then, I want to hear your answers as we begin to discern God’s vision for Ayden UMC in this next season of ministry.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
-Pastor Jim
