Sisters, Brothers, Friends,

Lately, I’ve been reflecting a great deal on the nature of calling and what we’re all about as a people of faith.  For those of you who don’t know, at the service of commissioning and ordination at Annual Conference this year (where Pastor Aaron was ordained), there was an invitation for those who felt called into vocational ministry to come forward and receive a blessing.  Tyler Keller and Mary Violet Comiskey went forward.  Last year, my wife Rachael went forward in response to this same invitation.

God is at work in this place!  God is at work among this people!  I am humbled and privileged to serve alongside all of you.  God calls each and every one of us: first and foremost, into relationship with himself through Jesus Christ.  And secondly, to go and spread the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.  Any secondary calls we may receive flow out of these two primary calls – to come to Christ and make disciples.

There’s another call that we receive: the call to be holy just as He who called us is holy.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let

us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. 

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” – Hebrews 12:1

As we shift gears and transition into summer mode, let us not become lazy in our faith or slothful in the pursuit of perfection.  Instead, let us pray for those who live and serve and work among us.  Let us open ourselves up to the work of the Holy Spirit.  Let us work diligently to bring about God’s purposes in this place.  And let us each respond to the calls we have received from the Lord, remembering that through God’s grace, we are more than conquerors.

Praying for you,

Pastor Zack