This Week from Mitch
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
There are times when life at St. Martin's feels very much like life in a small town. At nearly 1,000 members, the small town metaphor is not that far of a stretch! This last week was one of those times. This week our community celebrated a new birth, mourned death, and hosted happy children for Vacation Bible School. This Sunday I am talking with a young couple soon to be married, and at the same time, we will begin setting up for next week's funeral receptions. It seems like a lot because quite frankly it is.
Life lived in real community is often "a lot." Every Sunday, each of us brings to the table our hopes and dreams, sadnesses and joys, excitements and fears, and the prayers of our hearts. We lay them at Jesus's table as we receive the body and blood, and know that we leave having been strengthened. We are being sent to be his hands and feet. One of the ways we can be his hands and feet is through the giving of our time and presence.
St. Martin's continues to be a healthy and strong community because of the number of people who continually chip in and help: from a new member (Matt) showing up to spell a tired group cleaning out a retention pound, to the 14 people who have already volunteered for this week's funeral receptions.
To minister to a village, it takes a village. At our new member dinners each month we set out expectations for membership. We talk about three things. First, growing as Christians. We expect you to grow. We grow through worship, study, and service. Second, we talk about the expectation of giving. Our church does not allow for our endowment to cover any operational expenses, including salaries. Your giving matters, service to others comes with a cost. Your giving enables our ministries from Safe Space dinners to AA meetings. Finally, we end with an idea. The idea is this, "worship plus two." As Christians, we are called on to worship in community, it's scriptural and fundamental to who we are. The "plus two" is this: Do one thing that feeds you, and one thing that feeds someone else. We ask you to participate in a ministry that helps you grow. From the study of scripture to a small group or foyer group, we want you to do something personally fulfilling. We also want you to do something that serves others. One thing for your growth, one thing to help another grow.
"Worship plus two" is a rule of life that strengthens both the individual and our community. I know it has strengthened me. As we come back from summer, I invite you to pray about it and to explore how to live it.
In Christ,
Mitch
