The New Pastor Needs Help
Greetings! I hope and pray all is well with you and yours on this Wednesday. It was great to see many of you in worship this past week as Erin and I thoroughly enjoyed our first Sunday in the North Cross community.
As I indicated on the card that was in your bulletin Sunday (and will be again for the next few weeks for those of you who were not able to join us), I like to keep in touch with you through e-mail throughout the week. One of the consistent ways I like to do this is through a Wednesday morning message. In this e-mail, you will have a pastoral word from me, a preview of Sunday's text and message title, and, as things develop, a few notes about other things that will be coming up in the life of our congregation.
This week, I want to thank you all for the words of welcome and offers of help as we come into the Madisonville community. Every one of you I have met has said, "Whatever we can do to help you, just let us know." Well, I'm going to take you up on that offer, for there are several things you can do to help me and this community of faith:
1. Pray
Specifically, pray for North Cross, that we may be a community that does nothing more and nothing less than the will of God in and through all things. Pray for me, your pastor, that God will give me the discernment in all that I do to help facilitate the Kingdom work being done here.
2. Worship
The heart of any congregation's life is found in it's worship, and the people of God are called to gather in worship together. Period.
3. Invite
We exist for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. If we sit on God's grace and are not sharing it with others, we are missing our calling. Invite those of your friends, neighbors, and others in your life who do not have a church home to come and be a part of North Cross. You all have my contact information; I'm willing to visit with anyone who would like a visit from the pastor.
4. Participate
There are and will be many ways in which you can be involved in small and large ways in the life of North Cross. As we go forward in the next few months I am eagerly anticipating your involvement in the activities of our congregation. More details will be coming as I have a chance to visit with you and others within our midst to see where God is calling us.
5. Tithe
One thing you will learn early is that I firmly believe in the calling from God for the faithful to return to God at least 10% of income. I believe in this not as a way for the church to pay it's bills, for tithing is a spiritual matter, not a fundraising mechanism. I believe in tithing because it is a tangible response to God's grace and a measure of one's faith in God to provide all that is needed. It is something Erin and I have practiced from the day we got married.
There is so much more I want to write, but this will do for now as we start this journey. When you want to get together for lunch, supper, coffee, or just to visit, please let me know. We would love to get to know you better, for in the midst of all of this adjustment, WHO is at the table is FAR more important that WHAT is on the table.
Thank you again for your wonderful welcome!
See you Soon!
Lamar