From the Pastor

Please read Hebrews 11: 1-7

As you may or may not know, the Church Discipline states that the Pastor is to be the Team Leader for Lay Leadership (Nominations) Team. The Pastor will be giving

leadership to this team in an intense manner this fall.

The week of September 15, each church family will receive time and talent surveys in the mail. This will give opportunity to the members to indicate specific ways in which they can give leadership and support to the church in 2011. Extra surveys will be available in the church office if you desire one for each family member. These surveys should be filled out and returned to the church as soon as possible.

I truly believe that we have in our midst many responsible and capable people. I am excited about the potential for growth in the area of leadership. I really feel that our

present leaders have the grace and adaptability to encourage and enable new leaders to take hold in 2011.

Thus, as the team and I begin to do our work through prayer, contemplation, and contact, I am also led to think about our total ministry together, to which we are all called to be a part.

As I think about the total congregation plunging headlong into another year of ministry together, I feel led to share with you on the subject of faith.

As we embark upon our journey in ministry together in 2011, I know we all want to deepen our faith and thus our commitment to Christ and the church. Perhaps we need to ask at this point: Just what is faith?

The new international version of the Bible translated Hebrews 11:1 like this:You know faith is not mere mental ascent you make when you are in a religious mood, when the atmosphere is inspiring and the music is soothing.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Faith is always a crisis of obedient action. It is the risk of decision. It is always some kind of commitment you must go and put into action.

One lazy person once said, “I admire work greatly: In fact, I can sit and watch it all day long.”

Some of us are like that about faith-we admire it greatly and at the same time sit and watch it all day long.

Faith is action

Take a look at Hebrews 11, the Bible heroes “Hall of Fame.” As you read the accomplishments of these great people, the one thing that strikes you is that hardly a person has done anything that we would call a “spiritual accomplishment.”

In every case, it is a matter of action. It’s usually something very simple “By faith so-and-so did this and that.” Practical every day matters; they acted, they took the plunge, they obeyed God in the simple things of life.

By faith Noah built an ark. By faith Abraham left homeland and security and went out to live in a tent. By faith Sarah had a baby. By faith Moses’ parents hid him in a basket. By faith Joshua knocked walls down. God told them all to take the plunge of faith and they obeyed.

Faith is trust in action. They are always linked together: Obedience and action. Or, as the old hymn put it, “Trust and Obey.” Pray and plunge. Believe and act on that belief.

Faith always involves some kind of risking, committing action.

Sure we want our faith to grow in the months ahead. And one of the ways it grows is through obedience to God. So what does God want you to do?

In the life of the church, what function would God have you perform? What kind of service can you undertake for God? How can you act out your obedience to God?

As we get into the “full swing” of ministry, I hope you have been asking God for leadership and direction in serving through the arm of this church.

God has something for you to do, discover it (we may be calling you)—–and take the plunge of faith!

Lastly, I would share a few thoughts about faith:

Faith is:

-Remembering I am God’s priceless treasure when I feel utterly worthless.

-Remembering I am indispensable to God when I feel I only clutter up the landscape.

-Remembering that in the kingdom of God everything is based on promise, not on feeling.

-The handle by which I take God’s promises and apply them to my particular problems.

-Refusing the thinking that God loves and cherishes the popular, attractive, talented Christian more than God loves and cherishes plain me.

-Recognizing God is the Lord of Time when my idea of timing doesn’t agree with Gods.

-Thanking God for the gift of emotional health, not assuming it all stems from my ability to cope with life.

Your Pastor,

Rev. Duane E. Andrus