I pray this note finds you doing well and having a wonderful summer. As is always the case, this time of year finds Reveille busy as ever, working hard to fulfill our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Whether we are building or repairing houses on the Eastern Shore or in Winchester, saving lives in Honduras, instructing children at Kids Camp or Vacation Bible School, or singing God’s praises at Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Reveille people are combining time, talents, and resources to enable life-changing missions to happen here and around the world.
And yet, while not all people are called to participate in a mission trip, each of us is called to be in mission. To discover where to begin, we need not look further than our own membership vows:
Prayer: Perhaps the most important of our membership vows is also the easiest to overlook. Our prayers for our church and its ministries are essential, as they are the primary way God has given us to connect with the Divine in our midst. This summer, I am asking you to make sure you pray daily for our church.
Presence: To say that “everything slows down in the summer” is a misnomer. As I listed above, many important ministries are happening in these hot weather months, and of course, worship does not stop! We are better when we worship together, for the Spirit weaves together our voices into a mighty chorus of praise to our Savior. This summer, I am asking you to be present in worship when you are in town and to visit another church when you are traveling.
Gifts: In Psalm 116, the psalmist asks, “What can I give back to God for the blessings poured out on me?” Our combined generosity assures that life-changing ministry is able to happen in our community, region, and world. What we give may sometimes seem insignificant to us, yet in the hands of Christ our gifts become loaves and fishes multiplied in abundance, rendered into ministries that allow worship, growth, and service. This summer, I am asking you to continue your financial support of Reveille and its mission.
Service: Jesus reminds us that “the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.” Servanthood is the natural posture of a disciple of Christ. As always, our bulletin, newsletter, weekly emails, and website are filled with opportunities for us to serve others. This summer, I am asking you to find a way you can use the gifts and skills God has entrusted to you to bless someone else.
Witness: When we live our membership vows, they combine to form our witness to the world. Jesus reminds us that “a tree is known by its fruit.” How we live our lives is what is in our hearts made visible for all the world to see. This summer, I am asking you to find a way to share your faith with someone else. It can be as simple as inviting a friend to church with you.
Your church needs you. Reveille is a 12-month congregation whose ministries affect positive change in people’s lives throughout the year, and we cannot be the kingdom people Christ is calling us to be without being a part of his gathered community that he calls his church. Likewise, you (and I) need the church in order to worship, to grow, and to serve in ways we could not if we were trying to do this holy work alone. I thank each of you for the myriad ways you live out the promises you have made to God and one another as members of Reveille United Methodist Church, and I look forward to what God is doing next.
Grace and peace,
Doug