Enduring sacrifice from Christ, to us, to the next generations to come..
I was thinking about how churches make impacts on generation after generation. They each have to sacrifice and make bold moves in order to ensure the next generation will still hear the old, old story. They also need to care for what previous generations entrusted to them. Tom's Creek Methodist Church started off with services in a barn in the mid-1700's (hmm..kinda like a pavilion). The congregation worshipped in various structures on Four Points Bridge Road for many years. They finally decided a new building and a new location was needed and they started to build our present church home in 1903. This was not easy but they realized the road they were on stopped them from being able to worship year round and they needed a better location. So they made the bold move to build our current church building, two miles from their previous location. The large memorial window in the rear of the church was given in honor of William and Lydia Stansbury by their children, in 1903. That is the window we are having renovated, restored, and renewed right now. We are making sure that what they blessed us with endures!! Each new generation of Christ followers are entrusted to keep sharing Christ. A partial history of our church can be found here: https://www.emmitsburg.net/archive_list/articles/places/churches/toms_creek_umc.htm
Friends, we are now the ones who are called upon to be bold to ensure there is a place for the Gospel to be shared for generations to come. So many before us toiled and worked hard so that we would be blessed by the resources we have. Yes, the church is more than a building but we need a place to have our souls revived before going back out into the world to share about the grace of Christ!
I look and see what previous generations sacrificed so that we could be blessed and I pray we are up to the task to make sure the church is stronger than when the mantle was passed onto us. We need to find ways to share the grace and love of Christ that break through the darkness and cynicism that is filling the world. The power of Christ has the power to break through the evil, hatred, addictions, depression, anxiety, hurt, and pain that is filling the world. We are the one entrusted with that mantle, God uses us to share the Gospel. We can only do that if we are willing to be bold and to sacrifice because we realize our task is one that can help set people free and revive their soul.
If you are in need of having your soul revived or just to talk to with others who are struggling on life's journey we meet every Thursday at 3pm on the phone. Yup, just a plan old phone and a bunch of people sharing life. We then pray for one another and our needs and then pray for the needs of people in the world. It is simple, it is quick, but it reminds us that we are not alone, and that we are a community that is made family through Christ! You can join us by calling 857-799-9465 at 3pm today.
This Sunday we are continuing in the book of Acts but we have "The Faith Boyz" joining us to share music. Now these boys are from Thurmont and are still in high school. They go around singing music about Christ wherever they are invited and any money they receive goes toward a mission trip they will be going on. They don't sing hymns but are trying to reach their generation for Christ. They find a way to connect the Gospel message through music with the next generation of Christ followers. They will lead us in singing "Survivor", "Stand in Your Love", "Chain Breaker", "Good, Good Father", and "My Lighthouse". You may not have heard the songs before but they are amazing songs that lift up the Word of God. We must be bold in reaching out to the next generation of followers of Christ so that the legacy of Christ and of Tom's Creek may endure.
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