Sisters and Brothers,
I greet you in the name of our Lord.
After the hustle and bustle of District Conference, we have come again to the month of February, and we are almost into the season of Lent, that time of year when most of us do some earnest self-reflection and initiate changes to improve our spirituality.
Maybe you guessed my next point, since I’m encouraging you, for the third consecutive year, to tithe. In fact, I will simply copy by cutting and pasting what I wrote in 2021.
“My second appeal to you is to consider tithing for Lent. “Give one tenth during Lent.” The church’s (MCCA) position on tithing is captured in a position paper posted on the website. Give tithing a try, and note the effect it has, not just on your wallet, but on your life; and then you can decide from there. We may just find that in a season of economic hardship, we begin to see God’s wonderful transformation of our financial situation. Let us resolve to trust God for this.”
What else is special about this month? The fourth Lord’s Day in February has been set aside as MCCA Men’s Lord’s Day. To our benefit, this year, across the Leeward Islands District, men will be wearing ties promoted by the men of the Holland Circuit. This will certainly help our financial position.
Locally, I appeal not only to our men, but to mothers, wives, partners, sisters, and children to invite the significant males in their lives to church on MCCA Men’s Lord’s Day. Every journey starts with a step. Playing your part in Operation Andrew might well mean making the effort to lead one man- younger or older, to the Lord. It would be wonderful to have the other half of God’s family well represented in church so they can hear the invitation given through another man.
Yes, family is a good place to start. This is why we proposed in our council meetings, that when members celebrate, be it birthday, anniversary, job or school promotion, or other happy event, they invite their family to accompany them to worship. You can never tell what the Lord will do with your effort. It is easier to invite someone when you have something to celebrate. Then that someone gets another chance to hear the wonderful news of God’s love.
Remember, we have been planning for an increase in membership through outreach; but these plans will materialise only as we prayerfully obey the leading of the Spirit to reach new persons by first praying for them, then befriending them, and inviting them to know more of God’s love. The old-fashioned way of inviting someone to worship still bears fruit today. For many, the question is still valid, “How will they hear if someone does not preach?” You may not have the gift of preaching, but there are others in church who can eloquently reach people with the message of God’s love. Let us be deliberate about reaching others, including new people, with the gospel. This is our reason for being the church.
We’ve a message to give to the people,
that the Lord who reigns above
has sent us his Son to save us,
and show us that God is love.
Let us, then, bear the news as we have been asked to. The Lord is depending on us to do so.
May you be blessed as you seek to do God’s will.
In God’s service
Joan Delsol Meade, your Pastor.