Greetings Everyone,
I hope that this letter finds you all doing well, and enjoying the last weeks of summer. As the heat finally starts to lessen, and the sun begins to set a little earlier, I am reminded of how change is always upon us, even if we are not aware of it. As a congregation, we recently decided to undergo a massive change in the form of the Sanctuary Renovation Project. With this renovation we hope to equip ourselves to be able to minister to not only our current members, but to people who are not presently attending our church.
Because of our desire to reach out to those whom we have previously not reached, this renovation becomes much more than structural. It becomes a time of self-examination, reflection, and change. The renovation presents us with an opportunity to discern if we are using our resources wisely, and ask ourselves if our “ways of being” (ways of doing ministry) need to be reformed.
It is in this light that Pastor Bob, The Bridge worship team, and I came to the decision to not have our Sunday evening worship service during the sanctuary renovation. This decision was not an easy one to make, and it did not come without much prayer and discernment. However, we know that it will enable us to examine all of the forms of worship for that service, and give us an opportunity to make the necessary changes so that everyone involved can reap the seeds that they have been sowing for over seven years.
As difficult as this decision was, we know it is just the first in a series of decisions that will have to be made regarding how we do ministry at TFUMC. The next 5 months are a critical time in our formation for the next few years. We must not squander this opportunity to examine all the ways in which we worship. We have to ask ourselves if we are creating an atmosphere where the presence of the Holy Spirit can be felt when we worship. Or, are we clinging to old forms of worship, our traditional ways of being that might hinder someone from experiencing the presence of God in worship? It has been said, “Once you stop changing, you start dying.” Change, my friends, is inevitable. It is how you choose to handle change that defines you.
— Christopher Carter, Student Pastor of Discipleship
