It’s hard to believe that it is already June. There is so much happening this month: my wife’s birthday on June 1, our 30th wedding anniversary on June 24, Pentecost on June 9, Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska June 9-13, and the closing of my first year with you. I have been blessed by your spirit and your desire to live into this task of discipleship.
I’m writing to you on Ascension Day, May 30, the day that Jesus ascended into heaven. Before he left the disciples, he commissioned them to go into the world, make disciples of all nations, baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teach everything that he had taught them, and “remember, I am with you to the end of the age.” On June 9th, we will celebrate Pentecost, the day that the promised Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to do the things that Jesus commanded them to do. Those commands now fall upon us. I am thankful that you try to live into that calling to discipleship.
On June 9th we will change up our Sunday morning schedule for that day only. Worship will be at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday School will follow worship. We are doing this so that I can leave right after worship for Lake Junaluska and the meeting of the Holston Annual Conference. Craig Leonard will represent you as our Lay Member of the Conference. As we go to that Holy Ground, we will be taking our Change for Children offering and our Conference offering for the Opioid Crisis in our community. We will also celebrate the 36 mission buckets that you have collected for our Ishe Anesu ministry center in Zimbabwe. Thank you so much for your faithfulness and generosity.
This month and into July, we will celebrate the church being the church. We will remember our baptismal vows and review the general rules of the Methodist Church to 1) Do No Harm, 2) Do Good, and 3) Stay in Love With God. As we do so, I invite you to remember your membership vow to remember the church with your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness.
I give thanks for all of you and your commitment to seek to be the people that God calls you to be.
Blessings,
Pastor Wayne