Pastor Ritter ~ January
Do You Remember…
Do you remember when…? It is hard to believe that just 1 year ago we gathered together outside the doors of our new church building, under the canopy, in the cold to dedicate our new church building and to enter its doors for the first time for worship. Do you remember how it felt? Do you remember the excitement of not only all of our members, but the community as well? It was a great and marvelous day and so has every day since, because every day is gift from God. It can be fun to reminisce about the past and be reminded of those good and exciting times in our lives and in the history of our congregation.
For years, however, we didn’t just reminisce about the past, we tried to dwell in it and it kept Immanuel from moving forward. Do you remember when (__________)? You fill in the blank. Perhaps it was when Immanuel had so many people in worship we had to have overflow seating in the basement. Or perhaps it was when our school had so many students we had to have two classrooms for every grade. Usually those comments were followed up by this, “if only we could get back to that.”
While we cannot go back to a certain point in time and relive it, we can ask ourselves a follow up question to the initial question of “Do you remember when?” That follow up question might be, what was different then than what it is today? That might lead us to ask, “How have we changed as a church, a community, a culture? What might we need to do differently today than what we did in the past in order to get the same positive outcome that we are seeking.” Perhaps the best question to ask is “who is God leading us to be?”
As we begin to carry out the specific goals and objectives of our strategic plan, we do so trusting in God’s wisdom, guidance, and His perfect timing. We trust and pray that His will will be done. We must also pray, “God, what would you like me to do?” As we celebrate the one year anniversary of being in our new church building, the 145 years we as Immanuel have exisited as a congregation, and celebrating our growing ministries, we must also look ahead to what God has in store for us next and work together by the grace of God to accomplish what He is leading us to do.
Stay excited, stay passionate, and stay thirsty for more! “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Pastor Tim Ritter