Vestry Supper for Newcomer Families

 This last weekend some 50 parishioners gathered in the Parish Hall for a Lasagna supper prepared by George and Clara Heard, and Wes and Beverly Rasbeary.   Roughly a third of those present represented vestry members and spouses;  a third represented parents of new families;  the last third represented children of new families.  Altogether, 6  of  9 new family groupings were able to be present.  Vestry members were able to share what St Michael’s has meant to them and the ministries in which they actively serve.  From our new family members we heard what they and their families were looking for and needed when it came to belonging to a worship community.

 WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?  First of all, we have a major explosion in Sunday School.  We have some excellent people gearing up to lead and teach in this new Fall Program.  I can see that we will soon need to provide existing teachers with assistance and additional help.  Remember, St. Michael’s does not believe in burning out Good Teachers by chaining them all year to the same Sunday School Room!  Oh, and second, we soon might need new rooms!  Already, we are investing in new teaching equipment.  But here is further question we might ask.  What does this say about church?

 What are some of the reasons why church is important to us?  (Here are just a few)

1. Our Children.  We know that God wants us to bring them up (as the Westminster Confession puts it) “To know God and enjoy Him forever”.  That is the reason why our present teaching series will be followed in October with a parenting class for Adult Sunday School.  It’s called “Visionary Parenting”.

2. Church is the place where Christian lives find God’s fulfilling focus.  God designed us to work together as families, and to work together in worshipping fellowships.  Through worship, sermons, Christian education, we plan and begin to grow and be more effective in our Christiana lives and service.

3.  Some of us know from personal experience that only Christ can put personal lives back on track.  God needs to work on all of us.  It may be moral healing, or emotional healing, or physical healing.  God wants to rescue all of us from the consequences of bad life decisions made in the past.  That is why church is for “forgiven sinners” and “not perfected saints”.  All of us, from the Rector, Vestry, Choir downwards remain “God’s work in progress”   In that sense church fellowship should be a loving, caring “Spiritual Support Group”.  And that is one of the good things about our Episcopal or Anglican heritage and tradition.  St. Michael’s has always been the kind of church that attracts people of very different gifts and professional backgrounds.  Our church tradition is not one that first requires new members all to think the same way as some of us do.  It is precisely because we attract people from all kinds of spiritual backgrounds that we are better able to be a loving, learning, and supportive fellowship,  And that is what walking the Christian walk is all about.

 The Rev. Dr. Peter Cook