September 2008 Newsletter
From the Pastor… “Stewardship: Letting Our Light Shine in 2009!”
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5: 14-16 NRSV
In the coming weeks we will be preparing for Church Conference and there is a lot of hard work and difficult discussions to be made that will effect Pleasant Grove for the coming year and beyond. Before we gather with several other congregations in celebration of the work of the Church, we will have to prepare a plan for 2009.
But before we busy ourselves working on a new budget, nominations, ministry goals, and the countless other reports and tasks, I want to thank you for all the hard work that has already gone into making 2008 a great year for Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church! Even with several months left on the calendar we have had an incredible and record year.
In order to meet the challenges of the coming days we must build on the successes of today and draw on the richness of our history as a people called by God to make a difference in the lives of those who are desperate to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ presented in a way that speaks to their needs in their current location.
Toward this goal, many of you have been tireless and sacrificial in the sharing of your time, energies, and financial support to make our current situation a reality. For all that you have done, are doing, and will continue to do for the glory of God: I thank you!
Others might wish to examine your current stewardship and consider taking a step toward following the examples so humbly modeled in our midst and those expressed in Scripture as the standard for Christian Stewardship. In Matthew 22: 37-39 Jesus says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Some may wish to consider joining in the ministries of Pleasant Grove at a deeper level or even for the first time. Maybe you have considered serving on a committee, becoming active in Sunday School or Bible Study, attending worship regularly, or beginning to tithe or even taking a step toward tithing. Consider this as an invitation to do so today. Matthew 6: 19-21 reminds us of Jesus words saying, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
As members of this congregation of The United Methodist Church we have all promised to support the ministries of the Church with our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. God has honored our efforts and sacrifice over the past months and years and is providing us with opportunities to expand our ministries beyond the worship hour on Sunday morning into the larger community and the world!
There are some who have not yet joined Pleasant Grove as full members. Now is a perfect time to make PGUMC your church home! As I am sure you have noticed by now, God is at work in our church! We believe that you have been called to link arms with us as fellow members of this congregation. We are convinced that your presence in our lives is an answer to prayer and the key to our ongoing and future success. On November 23rd we will be receiving new members by baptism, profession of faith, and transfer of church membership in celebration of Christ the King Sunday. If you feel God is calling you to be a part of this wonderful church family, we stand ready to joyfully receive you. If you would like to enter into a season of prayer and conversation with me about membership I invite you to contact me at your earliest convince. I am here for you and welcome any questions.
There may be someone reading this who wishes to rekindle their relationship with this congregation or renew your covenant with God. To you I say there is no better time than now and there is no better place than right here. In imitation of our loving Lord, our hearts, our minds and our doors are open to you.
For all of us this is a time for joyfully counting our blessings, offering witness to the goodness of God, and looking forward with joyful anticipation to the great things that just yesterday seemed so distant but now, through the grace of God and all of our hard work, are as near as tomorrow! Together we can “Let Our Light Shine in 2009!”
In Christ,
John