August 13, 2009

The Methodist Church is calling us to Rethink Church. The only problem is that we have been rethinking church for some time. It doesn't mean that we don't have more things to learn, and changes to make, but we should be proud as a congregation of all that changes we have already made in our thinking about church. Since August of 2007 we have been rethinking our ideas about what it means to be a disciple. Since January of 2008, we have been rethinking our ideas about doing acts of kindness. Since March of 2008 we have been rethinking our ideas about he central message of the Gospels and the three simple rules. Since September of 2008 we have been rethinking the idea that church should be a verb, not a noun. Since November of 2008, we have been rethinking our ideas about apportionments (the money we give to the greater church) about Spiritual disciplines, and about sharing our faith stories. We have been doing a lot of rethinking.
As the Methodist Church is finally calling on all churches to do the kind of rethinking that we have already been doing, it's time for us to do some re-doing of what we have always been doing. You see it's not nearly enough to "think" about all things. We have to really change what we "do." Transformation of our hearts and the world won't come simply from new thoughts. These thoughts have to lead to real action. That's where the transformation comes from. This fall we are going to take a hard look at what we think and what we do. It's never too late or too soon to change, especially when so much hangs in the balance. The world today is in such need of God's redeeming and transformational love.
It's up to us, whether we are 8 or 108, to change our thinking, our actions, and be transformed; so that we can participate in the transformation of the world. It sounds exciting. It IS exciting. Tell everyone you know, "Rolando UMC is rethinking, and transforming." Want to hear more? Come to our adult Sunday School class at 11:15am on Sunday.

God Bless,

Pastor John