Following Christ into the Future

Charles Reynolds has graciously agreed to develop a devotional to surround and support our transition efforts. We will post the meditations here as well as in print in the churches, and we invite you to pray along with us and the prayer teams.

If you would like to contribute to the meditations, please contant Charles at papoo99@comcast.net.

Common Prayer.  O Great God of Light, You sent Your only Son to lead us into fellowship with you.  At the end of our days, we will all stand before You together.  May it be that in this life we stand beside one another as well, to serve, encourage, and hold one another accountable in love.

Teach us new pioneering skills as we make this transformation from three families to one, and put us to use to build bridges in this community by sharing the love of Christ among ourselves and with others.  In the name of Christ, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith.  AMEN.

Pioneering:  Meditations for Our Transformation

Number 1                                                                 July 15, 2012 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith.  Hebrews 12:1-2a

As Christ was a pioneer, so we are pioneers.  Not in the geographic or scientific sense, but in the Kingdom sense.  We are being called to pioneer in Carlisle (at one time a pioneer outpost itself) so the Kingdom of God comes here, and does not pass us by. 

We are not the first to pioneer.  Countless congregations in other places and at other times in the twenty-one centuries since Christ’s ascension and the appearance of the Holy Spirit have been pioneers, doing what God is now leading us to do here and now.

I am praying that you will receive two meditations a month over the next year, leading us to that date in July 2013 when we will worship as one congregation and as one new church.

I am praying that you will receive and use these meditations in your personal devotions.  Each will deal with at least one aspect of Transformation written as food for thought to stimulate your thinking, conversations, and prayer.

These meditations will offer insight into three major areas of Transformation: administrative and organizational; continuing ministries and pastoring; and spiritual development in personal and fellowship aspects.

We’ll look at the administrative and organizational tasks needed to establish our United Methodist Conference connection and create the local church boards, committees, and staff to help our new church function.

Even while we are changing, we’ll still have ongoing responsibilities for Christ’s work in outreach, evangelism, missions, and congregational care.  So some of the meditations will be about continuing ministries and pastoring our three congregations into one body.

And since this Transformation is about us more than about brick and mortar, some of the meditations will be aimed at strengthening our spiritual and emotional selves, and enriching our personal involvement in fellowship among the present three campuses.

Pioneering is a process of giving up something valuable so we and our families can gain something far more valuable.  We put aside a lot of other things to pay attention to our families and the things we own.  Well, this Transformation business is going to have an effect on your spiritual family and property.  For one, each of us is called to sacrifice. 

Pioneers left many things behind, or found out on their journey that they had to let go of a lot of the baggage they first thought was necessary.  If you’ve ever read about the pioneers who went west on the Oregon Trail, you’ll know that several hundred miles of the trail could be easily followed by furniture, pianos, and books tossed off the wagons to lighten the load.  In a sense we’ll be facing the same situation, both with cherished physical property, and also with cherished emotional ties.  But then, as they say “You can’t take it with you.”  You won’t appear at Heaven’s Gate with anything more than your soul.

Pioneers depended on one another and so must we if this is to succeed.  We must be joined with one another and with the Holy Spirit.  I realize we all have lives to live and plenty of things that need our attention.  But surely, the Transformation of our three fellowships into a new church with a new name deserves some of our attention.

So I’m asking two things of you.  First, please set aside a regular time to digest, reflect, and respond to these meditations.  If these don’t help you, then seek something better suited for your spiritual journey. 

Second, talk with one another about Transformation.  And please call, write, or e-mail the editor with your thoughts about the meditations. If you have ideas, let’s talk!