When I reflect on the past year, I realized that there are ways in which each year in the life of the congregation is the same as every year, and that is a good thing. The year of 2014 was another wonderful year at the Evangelical Church. We baptized babies, served communion, buried the dead, and visited the sick and disabled. We collected groceries for FISH, rolled dumplings, held meetings, played games, hosted the Teen Challenge Choir, and served the Safe House banquet. We made apple butter and celebrated our 120th anniversary as a congregation. We cut wood at Shannondale and signed cards for veterans. We did church.
At the same time, however, I know that every year in the
life of a congregation is unique. Every worship service, every baptism, every
funeral, every communion is a unique event, because it is a human event. Because
a church is about people and relationships, our relationship with Our Lord
Jesus Christ and with one another, the church changes as we change. Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, but we are like fading
flowers, here today and gone tomorrow. As people come and go in the life of a
congregation and as people grow old, the congregation changes, sometimes slowly
and sometimes quickly.
For me, 2014 was a year in which I continued to grow in my
commitment to the Evangelical and Reformed faith. I spent a good bit of
thought, study, and prayer on what it means to be Evangelical and Reformed. To
me, an Evangelical and Reformed Church strives to stay true to the fundamental
insights of the original reformers (Calvin and Luther), while following the
call of the Holy Spirit in the present moment. Unfortunately, the Evangelical
and Reformed dominations have been absorbed into theological liberalism and
they no longer adhere to the foundational confessions of the reformation.
However, there is a movement among conservative theologians to revive the
Evangelical and Reformed movement, developing a Bible-centered theology that
combines the insights of the Lutheran and Calvinist traditions. This group
publishes an excellent magazine, “Modern Reformation” and its members have
published many outstanding popular and scholarly books and articles. It has
been a comfort to me to know that I am not alone in believing that the E&R
tradition is not dead and that a renewal of the Church can only come from going
back to the Bible and the roots of the reformation.
A major change for me in 2014 was that I was called by God
to step forward and provide leadership to two organizations that were in
crisis, the Jamaican Christian Medical Mission (JCMM) and Love In the Name of
Christ of Southeast Missouri (Love INC). In prior years, I had been an active
member, but not a leader, of both organizations. When these organizations
experienced crises and were both about to close down, I felt called to take a
leadership role. In both cases, I believed that the organizations had potential
to continue, if they made a fresh start. I believed that if they were to close
down, it should be in a careful and deliberate way. Both organizations were
working in the Name of Christ, and I felt that it was ultimately up to Christ
whether they would continue.
They are currently both continuing with some changes in
leadership and strategy. Love INC has a new clearinghouse coordinator and is
experimenting with a new model based on collaboration with other non-profits
through the United Way’s One-Stop help center. JCMM was unable to go to Jamaica
in 2015 due to the lack of a clinic medical director. Instead, we are bringing
the Pastor Carlene Walford and some of the Carron Hall Elders to Cape Girardeau
in April to help us strengthen our relationship and rebuild the mission. Both
organizations (like all human endeavors) face an uncertain future, but I am
confident that they have still some good works to perform in Jesus Name.
In 2014, I also worked with the Council to lay the
groundwork for some significant changes coming in 2015. We will soon have a
high quality church flagpole. We will be visibly identifying ourselves as
Christians that love our nation and pray for its deliverance. We also purchased
new wireless microphones in order to make sure everyone can hear all parts of
the worship service. Moreover, these microphones will help us make better audio
recordings of our services. We will soon begin broadcasting a half-hour version
of our Sunday service on KMHM 104.1 FM Gospel Radio.
I cannot claim any credit for what I see as the biggest
change in our congregation during 2014. However, I welcome this change with open
arms. This change comes from consistently having more children in church.
Because of the children, something has changed in the atmosphere of our worship
service. Thanks to Pastor Dave, we have a children’s message every Sunday. Our
kid’s artwork often decorates the back cover of the bulletin. Our children sing
more often in worship, not just on Easter and Christmas. There is a new
liveliness and lightness at our church that only babies and children can bring.
As we look forward to 2015, let us make it a “year of the
child.” Let us all work together in making this congregation even more child
friendly. Let us start thinking about how we can use our resources to make our
congregation a fun and faithful place for our children. Let us spend some money
and take some time to have more special events and programs for our kids. Maybe
it is time to renovate and update the education building with new floors,
ceilings, lighting, and paint. Maybe it is time to revisit Vacation Bible
School. Maybe the Apple Butter Festival needs to become a Fall Kid’s Fair, with
a miniature train and a bouncy house. Being child-focused will give us all a
chance to be more creative and have some fun.
We have been given this congregation by our ancestors in
faith. Our job is to be good stewards in nurturing and strengthening this
congregation so that we can pass on something of value to our children. To me
this means staying focused on what really matters and staying true to who we
really are. I think that God has sent us these children to give us new life and
keep us faithful to his call. For this call was not just for us, but also for
our children.
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in
the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for
all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts2:38-40)
God bless you every day of this year!
Pastor Dan
