Let me first say thank you to everyone who attended our Consecration Sunday service. The attendance and support gave us a glimpse as to the potential this church possesses in fulfilling our membership vows of supporting the church through our prayers, presence, gift, service and witness. As it’s been described on numerous occasions, the church is not a building of brick and mortar, it’s a body of flesh and blood. We have a pulse, a heartbeat that sustains our functions and gives us vital energy to step boldly into to ministry for Jesus Christ. That heartbeat was 160 on Sunday, well over our weekly average of 130.
The Stewardship committee, under the direction of Harbour and Patti Whitaker, stepped out in faith by using a new program called New Consecration Sunday. Their first decision, and probably the most effective, was to invite Rev. Trevor Smith from Waurika FUMC to help coach us through the program. As they faithfully guided us along the steps, we could get a since of the cooperative spirit cultivating in the other leaders.
The final totals are yet available, but I would like to share with you some of the figures up-to-date. We received 60 pledges from our families and regular attendees. 11 of those 60 represents new pledges from people who did not submit a pledge last year. 49 of the 60 pledges were increases from the previous year. Overall, the estimated pledged amount and anticipated additional offerings comes to $290,468. That is phenomenal!!!
When people usually think of spiritual development, they most often focus on studying the scriptures or developing a strong prayer life. While those are vital parts of spiritual formation, they are not the only components. Sometimes spiritual growth occurs more in our giving than it does in our learning. That does not mean the two are mutually exclusive from one another. In fact, just the opposite is true. I believe they both flow from each other and they are both signs of a deeper work of faith taking place in a person’s life.
The author of Acts, writing about the fledgling church in Jerusalem in the days following Jesus’ resurrection, recorded:
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. [43] Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. [44] All the believers were together and had everything in common. [45] Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. [46] Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, [47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47).
What I witnessed Sunday was a glimpse of that early church. During that time we worshipped together, we broke bread together with the wonderful meal (thank you Suzie’s Q), we had everything in common—that is we are all sinners saved by grace, we gave generously and pledged abundantly with glad and sincere hearts. In a nutshell, we expressed our gratitude enjoyed the favor of all the people. The Bible says that God honored their faithfulness by adding “to their number daily those who were being saved.” I believe the Lord will do the same with our church as long as we keep the focus on what’s most important, that is honoring God with the best of who we are and what we have.
I look forward to seeing you in the consecrating place on Sunday,
