The Depths of Discipleship
Left: Rev. Melissa Helms was ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church this week at Annual Conference. Right: Matt Gaston donning his scuba gear illustrating how God’s friendship is for everyone at VBC this week.
It is a long way between standing in a robe and red stole laying hands on the head of a woman ordained by our bishop as a new Elder in the United Methodist Church and “swimming” in some scuba gear against an underwater backdrop for Vacation Bible Camp. Yet, the distance, apart from the clothing, is not as far as it might seem.
Both events had to do with discipleship under the call and lordship of Jesus Christ. Ever since God called Abraham, well into his Medicare years, to birth a great people, God has been calling people with what John Wesley called “prevenient grace.” It’s that nudge, that prod, that unexpected awareness of something beyond ourselves and deep within ourselves that compels us toward a greater awareness of God and God’s great love for us and all of creation. This is the first step of a lifelong process of being made more into the image of Jesus. That never-ending process is discipleship – the same process Jesus called his friends to be about:
“Go into all the world, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
For a few, it entails the call as a pastor to set-apart ministry. For many, it entails learning experiences like Vacation Bible Camp, mission trips, retreats, choir tours, and summer camp. For all, it involves regular worship, scripture reading, prayer, communion, the giving back to God with our financial gifts, Christian fellowship, and service. These are the essential elements for a vital Christian life just as surely as oxygen is for a scuba diver.
We had some 400 laity here for the Laity Session of Annual Conference on Sunday.
We had over 1000 people attend Annual Conference at FUMC Richardson this week.
We have been blessed to reach some 160 children this week with our SCUBA Vacation Bible Camp.
We will reach another 300+ in worship this Sunday and twice that many online.
The common denominator of all these is God’s lifelong call upon each one of us to grow in grace and grow more into the image of Jesus and what Jesus would have each one of us do – today.
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community,
