Amazed Day by Day

I am honestly amazed by y’all!  Being in a community is never an easy thing.  There’s a reason true politics (Greek word/concept of polis - city, or politikos - about the citizens) takes time; people need to discuss what to do with resources and then discern what is the best for all citizens.  As we begin our Stewardship drive this past Sunday, already many have turned in Time and Talent forms along with Pledge slips.  This is you showing your willingness to have a commitment to the community we share!  Thank you; and we’re not done.

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The church, since Jesus’ ascension is no different.  “Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.  All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.  And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved” (Acts 2:43-47).
 

Look, I’m not saying that the earliest church just sat around and sang all day.  Much was happening to live in community.  And community is not easy to live into when people have different preferences.

Within 15-20 years, as Paul was beginning to write letters to his churches, a lot of what he is addressing is politics of local communities.  Do we require conversion to Judaism before becoming Christian?  How do we handle legal matters with other Christians?  What about having slaves who are other believers?  Some of us are rich and others are not; can the rich just eat the Lord’s supper feast without their poorer siblings in Christ not there, and get drunk before they show up?  Again, living in community is not easy.

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What I hope you hear me say now is the encouragement to keep tending what you are putting into the community with your time, talents, and treasures.  If you have not put in your forms, don’t worry because we’ll dedicate all of these on October 4th.  Then we’ll organize all the information so that next year’s council can start contacting you after the December meeting and we can keep rolling along to see God adding to God’s work being done in our congregation and community day by day!  So, thank you to all who have turned in the forms thus far.  And I cannot wait for the rest to see what God might do each and every day!