While
most parents welcomed the start of school , the early start dates for our
Antelope Valley area caught me somewhat unawares.
I'm used
to a little more leisurely August in order to "ramp up" the fall
season. This year, I've had no such luxury.
What we
must not lose in our "Back to School" activities is the need for all
of us as adults to turn toward learning and new classes as well.
Our
current sermon series is focused on a "back to school" approach to the
Bible, but I hope and pray that it only whets your appetite for more spiritual
study and growth.
Our inner
spirit responds to the same kind of training that our minds and bodies
need. The regular, ever
challenging thoughts and actions of love and reflection on God put our
"faith muscles" into a "training cycle" that we need to
truly live an abundant life.
The
Christian movement has a long history of such activities and we as United
Methodists are especially focused on education, mission and outreach in a
combined and coordinated way.
It is my hope that we can develop a stronger
Adult Christian Education offering that
includes many different opportunities to learn, grow and serve.
As
followers of Jesus Christ, we know that all the rest of our lives critically
depend on spiritual growth.
And the
health and future of our family, job, neighborhood, city, state, nation and
even the world depend on us and those around us having a healthy and strong
spiritual life nurtured by God's Holy Spirit.
With that
in mind, I am looking for those of you who have a passion in this area to
prayerfully consider getting involved.
This
means not only participating in classes, etc., but to step forward and lead
discussions, organize classes and learn to take advantage of those
unique "teachable moments" that happen all the time.
This
includes attending weekend seminars and short-term classes of 3 to 6
sessions. It includes medium
length classes of 7 to 13 weeks and long-term classes of up to 32 weeks.
The
classes/groups can be at church, in homes or even in parks and on mission
trips.
All are
necessary to offer a wide variety of opportunities to the people around us who
are hungry to know more about Jesus Christ and what God has to say about their
lives and their future.
With all
that in mind, I encourage you to consider joining one of our Disciples
classes (a two semester,
community college level bible study), our upcoming Prayer Seminar, or some of the other workshops coming
up this fall.
Help us
create some educational events that you would enthusiastically invite your
friends and neighbors to attend.
On Sat.,
Sept. 12, (10:45 am)
we'll have a 90 minute Teacher & Small Group Leadership Training session. I hope you can attend.
This will
begin the process of supporting and encouraging each other with the kind of
spiritual growth and training we need to offer engaging discussions, in-depth
classes and other dynamic spiritual journey learning opportunities to enrich
our fellowship.
I
encourage you to consider involvement in one of our upcoming classes &
groups and perhaps exploring ways you could lead one of them.
I know
you will be blessed and that you will find a closer walk with Jesus that will
empower your whole life!
What
scripture has stayed with you this week?
What have
others learned about Jesus Christ because of you?
How goes
it with your soul?
Grace and
Peace,
Pastor
Terry
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