Advance last Saturday a success!
Hi Church Family,
Advance last week was a huge success. The fellowship was great, the calendaring for year 2015 was efficient, and the team building was fun, but most importantly the holy conversations that the leaders of our church had during Advance were very real. They were very insightful into the story of our church.
I would like to share a few of the stories with you, in hopes to get your mind thinking about not only the story that you would define for our church, but your own story. How do you go about that? Well, first you must spend time in prayer, asking God to guide your thoughts and open your mind for a revelation. Second, open your Bible and look at the index for stories or scripture ideas. Third, what are some traits of Chapel Hill? (loving, obedient, fearful, etc.) — write them down. Finally, look inside your heart and search for where our church is now, in this place and time.
Your leadership team (which consists of the Council on Ministries leaders of each committee, the Ad Council, and staff of the church) collaborated in four groups and came up with several very insightful stories:
- We are wandering in the wilderness like the Israelites, searching for God’s will for our church. – Deuteronomy 1-2
- We are casting our nets on the wrong side of the boat (John 21) or we sink when we walk out to Jesus on the water. – Matthew 14:22-32
- We are Marthas amongst Marys — too consumed in activities to stay in God’s will. – Luke 10:38-42
- We are looking at a dimly lit mirror and can’t see perfectly so we get discouraged and need guidance. – 1 Corinthians 13:12
- We are walking around Jericho, waiting for the walls to fall. – Joshua 6
What do you think? What is our story? I encourage you to look past the fears of past “strategic efforts” and get on board with what we are doing this time. This is different, this is God leading us to act. I believe in what this Holy Conversations team is doing as much as I believed that God was behind every step of your Africa team’s fundraising and progress — do you remember what I told you two years ago? “If you aren’t looking for God, you won’t see Him. But if you are looking for Him, you will see Him in everything.”
That’s what I saw last Saturday — God at work, helping our church have our holy conversations. I urge you to take the time this week to find this story — your team wants to hear from each and every one of you. We meet again this Sunday, January 25, 2015, and will be in prayer and deliberation about your stories. Thank you for taking time to complete this assignment.
Mel Willhite
COM Chair, Holy Conversations Team Member
Chapel Hill United Methodist Church
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