|
Dear Covenant Family,
Jesus’ words in John 15 speak to the deep connection possible between humanity and God, and the life-giving reality of a relationship with Christ. To abide in Christ is to stay connected through prayer, service, worship and generosity. We are not the source, but we are the branches meant to produce the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22).
At a Methodist church near my home, the annual pumpkin sale is on. For the past 15 years, this church has sent teen and adult volunteers to Central Appalachia each summer to make emergency repairs to the homes of families in need through Appalachian Service Project (ASP). The pumpkin patch supports this ministry as well as the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry.
Every year I’m struck by the scope of pumpkin blessings. From seeds planted by Navajo farmers in New Mexico, to pumpkins shipped to churches across the country, to young lives transformed by mission trips to Appalachia. I was one of those lives, so long ago now, returning as a teenager year after year with my church youth group to the hills and hollers where impoverished siblings scratch out a life.
Christian faith and service are so interconnected, even intertwined, that it’s hard to tell where one begins and another ends. We abide in God, God abides in us, and the fruit of that abiding is a life of generosity and service. The Church of the Covenant is a place where generosity is valued, and Christian service is a way of life. I’ll pledge to the church again for 2023 and I hope you will too. What we do here matters.
Off to buy pumpkins for my porch,
Pastor Jessie
Pastor@covenantweb.org
| 
