Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Welcome to the season of “Life in the Church”. With our upcoming celebration of Pentecost, we will be moving into the second half of the church season: the one in which we focus on the life of the church.
For those that do not remember, the church year is broken into two six-month chunks. The first 6 months, beginning with Advent, follow the life of Christ from His birth to His ascension. The second six months, beginning with the celebration of Pentecost, focus on the life of the church and how to walk in faith as one of God’s people. During this season, we tend to read through whole epistles in the lectionary as well as focus on how we can serve God in and as the Church.
It is easy for us, as Christians, to forget how important the church is for the life of our faith. However, we should consider the words of St. Paul in Ephesians:
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” – Ephesians 2:19-21
Consider what this means for our lives: to be baptized into Christ is to be called into His church. We are not here to have a “me and Jesus” relationship, we are here to be part of His body and serve Him in the church. That is what this season is all about. It is about learning and growing together as we work as the Body of Christ to serve Him in the various vocations that He has called us into. So how do we continue to nurture and grow in this calling in our lives? Here are three ideas to help you grow as part of the church.
- Attend the Divine Service: We are so blessed to live in a time where live streaming is an available option for when we are sick or unable to make it to worship; however, we should be cautious not to use this as a means to avoid attending worship in person whenever possible. Just as attending a family gathering via FaceTime is not the same as being there in person, so attending worship in person allows us to grow with our family in ways the online will never be able to compare.
- Attend Bible Study: Services are important for receiving God’s Word and Sacraments and calling upon Him in prayer and praise, but we stunt our spiritual growth when we only set aside 1 hour a week to fill ourselves with God’s word in the company of other believers. Attending Bible study allows us to dive deeper into God’s word and its impact on our lives.
- Assess your skills: See what gifts God has given you. Are there ways you can translate these skills to serve God in the church? Utilizing the skills God has given you to serve Him in both your career as well as the church, you may find, not only serves to sharpen your skills, but also strengthens your faith and promotes spiritual growth.
As we move into this season of growth, it is my prayer that you allow the Holy Spirit to work in you and strength your faith, that you may grow into the Body of Christ both here in our small community and as the One Holy Church.
In the Love of Christ,
Vicar Simmons