C H U R C H C O V E N A N T P T . 2

As I stated last month, during a leadership retreat in which we read and discussed our constitution and by-laws we discovered that church members are called to subscribe to our Church Covenant. It was suggested that we make that Covenant more public and so I’m sharing that Covenant in pieces over the next few months, hopefully leading to a Church wide movement to reaffirm this agreement that we have with each other. This month we’ll cover this paragraph: “We commit ourselves to the work of Christ’s Church, upholding the worship of God and the ordinances of Holy Baptism and Communion, seeking through example and word to reveal Christ to others, teaching the truths of God in Christ, contributing as cheerful stewards to the support of the local and universal Church and its mission, ministering to the needy and those whom Christ would serve, and striving for justice and peace among the peoples of the world.”

It seems to me that this part of the Covenant involves inward and outward commitment.

The inward asks us to commit to each other through the ordinances of the Church and

to the financial support of the Church. A corporate commitment to each other that requires us to celebrate those things together, in person, when possible but always as a priority in our lives.We are faced with so much busyness. Slow down? Celebrating Communion in and of itself calls us to peace with each other. It’s hard to make peace in absence. The outward aspect of this part of the covenant involves us engaging the mission of the church, of making disciples, taking Jesus to those who are not like us. Again, the choices, and they are many, get in the way because often people see our choices and miss Jesus. We become alienated from those around us.

The enemy says,

“It’s easier to just be alone, why deal with it."

That’s not God’s way. Let’s talk.

See ya’ll in church.

-Pastor Brian