"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." [Jeremiah 29:11 NIV]
It is an extraordinary time at St. Andrew’s, for we find ourselves in the midst of remembering where we have been and, at the same time, where we are going. A review of our rich history and a glimpse into our promising future. An endearing look back and an excited look forward.
This Sunday we will be celebrating the 55th Anniversary of this church. Founding pastor, Rev. JC Powell will be our guest preacher at our one and only service that we will be hosting at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Then we will head over to the Family Life Center and do what United Methodists do best, eat and fellowship together. It is a day where we will be gathering together to celebrate what God has brought about in the life of St. Andrew’s.
We await and anticipate where God will lead us in the future. The pandemic has, in a way, put us in a waiting game. But now God is reopening doors and breathing a fresh spirit into the church. A fresh spirit for this church to again share and spread the message of God’s love through Jesus Christ to our community and to the world in a powerful way. To do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us.
Looking to times ahead, we asked our church community this past Sunday to make a commitment for the future. A commitment to support the mission and vision of this church through generous giving. And as expected, the faithful people of St. Andrew’s overwhelmingly responded. As of this writing, 87 commitment cards were received. Of those, 36 indicated that they were increasing their giving by 1%, while 63 indicated that they will give on a recurrent basis.
This is a great response! It shows that for the people of this church, tomorrow matters. This church has a rich history—part of a grand divine story. Yet it doesn’t end with us and hopefully will continue long after we are gone. For when you give today, you support someone else’s tomorrow—for generations to come. For people we may never meet.
We may never know what impact we will have on people in the future. Yet we are dedicated to the notion that St. Andrew’s is a vital part of the ministry of Jesus Christ, and we want to see it thrive.
When we give, we are helping that unknown person who through a study here at the church will discover the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ. We are helping that person who is in need of basic food sustenance and receives it gratefully through our Food Pantry. We are providing someone comfort with a warm meal during a trying time with a tangible display of God’s love through Andy’s Angels. We're leading someone who is overwhelmed by the challenges in the world to discover the grandeur and hope of God through one of our worship services. We're connecting a youth or a child who feels neglected or forgotten to the openness and welcoming love of God through our Kids and Youth Ministries programming. Those who see division and separation in the world will be inspired to see how Christians can break down walls and gather as one.
It is not too late to be a part of building the future of this church. You can still make your commitment to St. Andrew’s by filling out a commitment card in this Sunday's service or by completing one online. When we give, we are cultivating faith for our future. And because of this, we show that we wholeheartedly believe that tomorrow matters.