This past Sunday in the sermon we considered scriptural roots for the last of the three values of Grace Community church:

We don’t exist for ourselves

As those so extravagantly loved, we exist for our neighbors and for the world. We are the light of the world. We make room for guests. We care for others while expecting nothing in return.

In case you missed it, the message is here.

Two things I want to revisit, and then I want to think about one of our goals as a church.

First, all of these values came to pass because there are people already living these out. The elders were challenged to name people they admired at Grace. Then, we took the qualities of those people and noticed three major areas of commonality. Without calling anybody out, we have seen this value lived out among us recently. Our most recent adult baptism was the neighbor of a member of our church.  This past Sunday three of the visitors at our visitor lunch came because of the care of two of our members. In each case, these members have lived out this value and set the tone for all of us.

Secondly, this is a value which came up quite a bit on the surveys you filled out earlier this year. Some of those thoughts were communicated in terms of ministries you’d like to see supported or started:

• A hospitality ministry for people new to the area, who have no established friends or support groups.

• Outreach to the poor that is regular and relational

• Re-starting an ESL ministry

• Working with the poor in our area/ mercy ministry

Others of you said you saw some areas of weakness in our church:

• Recent lack of local outreach/ visible mercy ministry or opportunities for members to serve others outside of our church

• More community outreach. Some Churches are always present at community events, sponsoring others. I would like to engage the local community as a Church in their lives in case coming to Grace is a bridge too far. Just ministering to people and engaging the community. Not sure exactly what that would look like.

• The congregation needs to be challenged more to see outside of ourselves and serve in our community somehow, especially the needy.

I point out these survey results to let you know that we heard you loud and clear.  We realized that on the one hand, we need to do more. On the other hand, the outside ministry that is already going on through our members is largely hidden from sight. A strategy and a communication problem exist!

In addition to putting this so close to our hearts in a value, the elders set the following strategic anchor to guide our thinking in the years ahead:

Be a light and a blessing to northern Albemarle and Greene Counties, and beyond

From the value, and the anchor, the elders agreed upon the following goal:

Identify and lead our church to one or two key local ministry opportunities that become a high priority and are accessible to all members.

One of the things noted by many is that there are several outward ministries we used to do here at Grace, but no longer do because key leaders left and the ministry died. We are praying and hoping to focus on several ministries that will be ongoing for years to come.

Is this a new ministry or an existing one? Great question! Who knows? It could be that we decide to provide focused support with volunteers and money to an existing local ministry. It’s possible we fill in a gap as a local congregation and keep it going through thick and thin. Soon elders will have their names attached to a particular goal, and may enlist some of you to help us sort this out.

Was this one of the areas of great concern for you? Be sure to let one of the elders know that you want to be a part of this local ministry focus. As we move forward you can help us identify and grow in these two areas.

Will you pray for us about this great goal for our future? Ask the Lord to guide and direct us as we seek to show the grace and love to others which we also have received.

In Him,

Don