August Pastor’s Pen

BRAGGING WARNING! Friends, as summer winds down and our attention turns to a new school year rhythm, I want to brag on you for a few moments. I mentioned recently in worship some comments I’ve received from individuals visiting our church this summer. The common theme I hear is about the friendliness of this congregation. People feel genuinely welcomed. This should be a given in churches, but sadly, it is not. Never underestimate what a smile, conversation, or invitation to sit with you can mean to someone who mustered up the courage to walk into a large building where they don’t know the people or culture. The longer we are part of a system and culture, the more difficult it is to remember what it is like to be new. How we welcome makes all the difference in whether a person or a family will return. Thank you for living out our value of welcoming warmly. And if you’re hesitant to say something to someone because you don’t know if they’re new or if you just don’t know them yet due to the size of our congregation, here is a great first question to get the ball rolling: “How long have you been attending FBC JC?” Start there and see where the conversation takes you.

I also want to brag on you for your faithful giving. Summer can be challenging for churches as people travel and get out of the routine of giving. The past couple of years have also been tough for many churches and non-profits as people adjust to inflation and economic insecurities. Yet, our church is meeting our expenditures and then some. We celebrate this for many reasons.

We celebrate the joy faithful giving brings to the cheerful giver as we submit our finances to God. We celebrate your engagement and trust in what our church does to live out our mission and steward your gifts wisely. And your consistent giving helps us as we consider how to staff our leadership team for the future. We are meeting our expenditures primarily because we are not fully staffed. While we may not be able to fund the same number of full-time pastors as before, we are in a solid position to begin making decisions about what and who is needed for this season in the life of this beautiful congregation. Thank you for welcoming warmly and giving generously. We are better together.

Pastor Mel