Greetings Wilmington Church Family!
We had a wonderful Rally Day full of the laughter of children and some excellent balloon "fruit." Thanks Bonnie!! God even showed up with a lovely, refreshing rain baptizing the earth and bringing some relief to our long drought.
As we enter into this new season, we have an opportunity to share the wonderful ways in which we all fulfil our membership vows of promising to participate in our beloved local congregation with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness!
You might have joined the United Methodist Church before 2008 when "witness" was added, and perhaps did not speak that particular vow, but it was always included by inference, because Jesus himself calls us to witness to our faith! "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." Mark 16:15
Witnessing is the outward, evangelistic extension of the church into the wider world. Theologically, it aligns the believer with the Missio Dei—the belief that God is actively working to redeem and heal the entire world, and the church is His chosen instrument. To give a "witness" means that both your speech and your lifestyle visibly testify to the transforming power of Jesus Christ, inviting
others into a covenant relationship with God.
During this Stewardship season, I'm offering an open invitation to all of our ministry and teams to take advantage of a 3-minute slot during a Sunday worship service to describe how others may fulfil their membership vows by supporting your team's work. Please drop me a note to book your Sunday!
Join us this Sunday in person or online. Invite your friends, family and neighbors to come too!
In Christ's Love,
Pastor Cheryl
