Out of our history, Freeborn Garrettson surprised us by riding into our worship services on Sunday as "the Paul Revere of Methodism." He noted that in 1784 the Methodists were separated by distance and that now we have been separated by disease. In both cases he was riding to "round us up" and "connect us again" because Methodists and the Christian church have always been a connectional people – something he rightly noticed we have lost sight of in the last two years. But he had a plan because as he said, "We're Methodists; we always have a plan!"
Freeborn sent out a letter and two "parchments" to every member family that we might again respond to God's grace with our "prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness." This year is different. One parchment is how you will support God's work here with your regular giving, yes. The other parchment is how you will support God's work with your Acts of Service. We are in a new season. What new calling to service is God placing on your heart, perhaps different than what you have done before? One thing is certain: every member can give something regularly and every member can serve somewhere regularly; it is a charge to keep that we have from God. The only question is what and where.
On October 31, bring your parchments with that leather-feeling cover and we will stuff the saddlebags that Freeborn left for us. When he picks those up, he will be picking up the ties that will bind us in 2022 in a new connection – a new and fun response to God's grace in our lives to be shared with those lonely and hurting in our church and in our community. We had a 33% increase in worship attendance on Oct. 17. Can't wait to see you on the 31st. Neither can Freeborn and Pablo!
Connecting God and grace to self and community,
