Thursday, March 3, 2011

It may be just me,

but it seems that time is moving faster and faster; looking back can be like scenery, flashing by a train - glimpses, fragments of the strange and familiar rushing past, as we watch out the window, mesmerized by the rhythm of the road. But it’s only an illusion. What moves is us: learning, growing, aging – changing, moment by moment, day by day. As disciples of Christ, we are not simply observers of life – we are active participants, making the most of each day, taking stock of both challenges and blessings as we look forward to whatever is to come.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this past year. Recently, we passed the anniversary of a very difficult time for our family, and I am profoundly grateful that our son is doing well and is back at school. Connall’s illness changed my perspective; I’m convinced God’s gift of love is so powerful, so intense – both in its joy and its pain - that we require the Holy Spirit to survive what it does to our lives. I am trying to appreciate more fully each moment with Ann and the children, no matter how mundane or routine those moments might be.

In our congregational life, we can rightly celebrate the financial ministry of the church. The giving of the congregation increased in 2010, despite the current economic uncertainty; Mossy Creek ended the year under budget and in the black! After several years of hard work, we now have an excellent system for budgeting, tracking expenses and evaluating spending. As we make the transition to new treasurers, we can rejoice and give thanks to God for the for all the hard work by Paula Zirk and the Finance committee members, past and present. It is important that we maintain the financial discipline which has been developed, and so we pray for Mack Wilson and the current Finance committee.

Now it is time for us to turn our attention to another vital ministry of the church. While some grass roots efforts have continued and even expanded - the ongoing care for the Huffer family and the participation in the work of the Stokesville Food Pantry come to mind - much of the momentum for outreach generated in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita has dissipated. The Witness Committee, in response to your concerns and suggestions, is exploring opportunities for mission outreach in our local area, which would make it easier for each of to share in the ministry to which each of us is called. It is vital that we support these efforts, not only with our money, but also with our time and talent, for it is working together that we have the opportunity to give and receive what God so freely offers in Christ. The words of Anna Coghill’s hymn serve as our call:

Work , for the night is coming; work through the morning hours;
Work while the dew is sparkling, work ‘mid the springing flowers;
Work when the day grows brighter, work in the glowing sun;
Work, for the night us coming, when man’s work is done.