Dear Family and Friends of First UMC of Torrance,
In the 18th century, John and Charles Wesley challenged the Anglican Church to put their faith into action and practice, calling them to come “from being Almost Christians to being Altogether Christians.” July is a good time to remind ourselves of this again if we are up to the challenge. Are we being faithful Christians in the midst of patriotic holiday expressions that can become nationalistic?
July is a good time to have a dialogue about the appropriate role of patriotism or to focus on balancing family life and faith in the midst of summer schedules. It is also a good time to thank God for our religious freedom, including the appropriate use of our freedom, and a good time to plan or engage in missions and ministries that remind us to put our faith into action. We often neglect our faith practices, like worship services, while we focus on our own leisure activities. How do we keep the balance of being an “Altogether Christian” in the midst of such times?
We have our Vacation Bible School coming up in July, from July 24 (Monday) to 28 (Friday). It is one of the core missions of our community as indicated in our mission statement: “We are a diverse and caring community, sharing the promise of life with Christ, passing the faith to the next generation.” It is a great opportunity to promote and discuss being “Altogether Christians.” Imagine how “altogether,” we can make an impact on the lives of our children coming to VBS. Let us put our hands together for this great opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our community.
During the month of July, I would like all of us to reflect on the following questions:
- Have I given my whole life over to Christ?
- If I were to measure my faith, would I consider myself an “Almost Christian” or an “Altogether Christian”?
- What is holding me back from being truly an “Altogether Christian”?
I am so grateful for our life journey together in Christ.
Pastor Jacob