From the Vicar...
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is with great excitement that I join this household of God. It is my hope that together we will press forward towards the mission that God has given us.
How will we accomplish this mission? How will we live into God's calling for this congregation? I think that we must begin by listening; by discerning what it is that God would have us do. We will then need to develop a plan, with specific objectives and time frames. We will identify the gifts that God has given each of us, and seek to match these unique gifts with specific objectives.
Your Vestry has already started this process. Some preliminary decisions have been made. But it is essential for the future of this community that every member be heard and be given an opportunity to offer their gifts. To accomplish this, we will be holding at least three Community Meetings over the next months, with the first one to occur in September.
At our first Community Meeting, we will focus on the question, "Where have we been?" We will consider our past in an attempt to gain insight into the unique character of this congregation. At the second Meeting our question will be, "Where are we now?" We will reflect on the present, assessing our gifts, and our growing edges, in this present moment. In our final Meeting, we will ask ourselves, "Where are we going?" Using the insights we have gained from considering our past and taking inventory of our present situation, we will seek to discern the direction God is calling us to move into the future.
Your Vestry will then consider the insights gathered at these meetings and develop a strategic plan that will map out how we will implement our future goals.
In the meantime, what can we do?
1. Pray. Hold up our members in prayer. Seek God's guidance as we begin this new chapter at Holy Spirit together. Remember the Church in your daily prayers. Join with your community for prayer on Sunday and during our weekday worship opportunities.
2. Care. Continue to shower one another with God's love. Take the initiative to reach out to those who are hurting or in need of a hand up. Be the hands of Christ in the world today.
3. Proclaim. With our every word and deed, proclaim to the world the faith that is in us. Let your life be a testimony to your relationship with God. Be enthusiastic about your community of faith, and invite your neighbors to church.
We are entering an exciting time in our common life together. We can see God moving among us, from glory to glory. Let us seek to move with God, from faith to faith, into the future that has been prepared for us.
In Christ's Love,
Fr. Terry+
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