Pastor Tim Mitchell
Greetings in the name of our RISEN Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
He is RISEN!!! He is RISEN INDEED!!! Oh, what a morning, Easter morning that is! On Easter morning, I especially enjoy watching the Sunrise through our East facing Dining Room window. Watching the Sunrise over the treetops brings an exhilarating feeling as I am reminded that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is alive forevermore! He is RISEN!!!
I have heard it said that it is the Easter event that defines us as Christians. Actually, it is the culminating event that defines us as Christians. What defines us is Jesus Christ! His life, death, and resurrection are what define us! We are defined by the totality of Jesus Christ. He is God’s only Son. He is Emmanuel, God with us. He has lived our life and walked in our shoes. He is our salvation. He was the perfect sacrifice so that we can live life freely for God. He is our Lord! He is the King of kings who defeats death and leads his people to eternal life. Our Lord and Savior is alive and sits at the right hand of God! Yes, we are Easter people! But more importantly, we are followers of Jesus Christ, Christians!! AMEN!! Hallelujah!!!
From Easter to Pentecost, May 19th, we will be celebrating Encounters with Jesus. It will be a 50-day journey from Easter to Pentecost. We will be answering the questions: How did Jesus’s post-resurrection appearances change the disciples’ lives? How do those Jesus sights still change our lives today? Remember to wear red on Pentecost Weekend as we celebrate the coming of God, the Holy Spirit. We will also be celebrating our confirmands that day. So, mark your calendar!
On Sunday, April 14, we will have our First Town Hall Meeting and Potluck. I hope you will attend as we break bread together and hear our first quarterly report from our Leadership Council. A major part of the transition to the One Board model of church leadership is making sure we communicate well with our members. After we have sat down for a meal, members of the Leadership Council will share their thoughts and experiences as we begin this three-year commitment to transition to the One Board model. We will share with you our current financial situation and how it can affect the future work of the church. Then there will be a time of dialogue where you can ask questions and give input to the board.
I am grateful to our Leadership Council and their commitment to perfecting the process that we put in place at our 2023 Charge Conference. It is one thing to have the process down in writing and yet another to experience the actual reality of implementing the new process of leading the church. We have found ourselves tweaking and realizing that we need to add essential information to our guiding principles document. We have covenanted to meet every three weeks in anticipation of one day being able to move back to monthly meetings. It is a work in progress supported and sustained by prayer. Our goal is to maximize the gifts of our congregation to fulfill our Beyond the Horizon Vision. We constantly remind ourselves that God is in charge and leading us to God preferred vision for our congregation.
Blessings 