Pastor Dan - June 2019
Last week, I UPDATED my Chromebook which I use at home. As I looked at the details of this update, it was listed in the “critical” category as it pertained to Word and PowerPoint functions. It didn’t take long for this valuable UPDATE to download and install. This was easy, quick and all well and good. I did not realize that this UPDATE effected my computer I use for church work. This UPDATE did NOT effect my computer for the good . As a matter of fact, it ruined every Word and PowerPoint document I had done for the last three years!!! All the information was there, but it was format was useless. The update no longer had the font that I had used for every document since 2016. I spent the next three days recovering and restoring my computer. Some UPDATE.
As many congregations and Christian bodies dwindle and struggle in the age of internet and self-reliance, it becomes prudent for the Body of Christ to consider an UPDATE. Over the last thirty to forty years, we have seen within Christendom attempts to bring about renewal and revision, creativity and faithfulness in hopes of UPDATING the Body of Christ. The danger which has become manifest over the years is that in attempts to UPDATE, that which we have been built upon is ruined or altered beyond recognition.
The foundation of which will build upon is the Living Christ of God. As human beings have attempted to alter the Christ and His Holy Word, Christ remains unchanged. We, as humans, have no power to change, alter or modify what the Lord has done in the Christ. What God has done, God has done. We have been given faith by the Lord to set us on a journey in this life to discover and share what God has done and what God is doing. This faith is a gift and perhaps how we share our faith is that which is in need of an UPDATE. This is to say that an UPDATE may be necessary and maybe not. Perhaps faith sharing requires clarification and instruction to be reviewed. There are many, many questions and considerations around the question of, “What does it look like to live by faith in Christ Jesus for this day and in this age?”
Mount Zion will begin a project this summer and the fruits of this project will bear in the Fall. We are designing a course to assist in living a fruitful faith journey for this day and in this age. We want to start with the basics of faith in Christ; what is this faith and what this faith is not. We will have gatherings for your input and insights. We will have gatherings for lecture and question and answer. We will struggle and grow together in what is important about faith in Christ and why faith in Christ is important for our lives and for our living as disciples, as congregations and as humanity.
As the month of June meanders its way, please take time to consider your faith in Christ Jesus. Make some notes, write down some of the inspirational materials and inspirational events in your living in which your faith was sparked and set aflame. May the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart be pleasing and acceptable in the sight of our gracious Lord.
In Christ’s love and service,
Pastor Dan