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Join us as we begin a new series on the gift and necessity of having a day of rest.
"Bless'd Rest"
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My dear friends,
I want to express to you what an inspiration our Town Hall Meeting was on Sunday, March 30. A few years back I led a similar meeting at another church in the presbytery. I got to the question about what you hope to see in the church in 15 years and I was met with blank stares. One man raised his hand and said, “I hope we exist.” That was it. That was the sole response. I hope we exist.
The truth is without vision beyond survival that church will probably not exist in 15 years.
Priest Lake has vision. Priest Lake has a future.
Our meeting was full of life, hope, joy, and love. I felt like we could have continued to name how we have seen God at work for another hour. It was an amazing time of testimony. Many of you raised your hand to speak from ages 12 and on up into well-seasoned adulthood.
It was particularly heartening to hear from many of our charter members in attendance. This class of our membership carry the heart of Priest Lake and it is clear that that same heart beats in our younger members. The character of that heart is defined by:
1) A strong sense of community. Whether it be the early days of worshipping in a double-wide trailer or the six months we spent worshipping in the gym after the tornado, Priest Lake is a family with Christ as its head.
2) The gift of hospitality. It maybe our strongest gift. I’ve never seen a church more naturally welcoming and loving. Age, race, marital status, lifestyle, political affiliation, physical condition, mental condition serve as no barrier for your ability and desire to welcome with open arms.
3) A heart for the downtrodden. You may not know it but Priest Lake is admired throughout the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee for its mission work. Through Project Joy, Food Box Delivery, Priest Lake Pantry, Summer Hoops, and now our partnership with Bodoi, Kenya, Priest Lake goes above and beyond to serve the people that Christ holds so dear.
Priest Lake not only dreams big but it comes through big because it entrusts its heart to the Lord. As we take steps toward our bright future, I want to invite you to grow with us in these coming years. We grow in Christ through study, prayer, and worship. If you are not in a Sunday school study, then consider joining one. If neither of the current studies interest you, talk to me and we will start something new. If you are more of an individual learner, then see me and we will design a course of study tailored to you. Make Sunday worship the most important event of your week. This will help to center your life in Christ and draw you more deeply into community with him and the community. And pray like your life depended on it…because it does.
Friends, Priest Lake has an opportunity to do a lot of special things in the next period of its life. But there is something more amazing and more deep in its future. It has the opportunity to BE something amazing: the Body of Christ. I believe we have the heart for it.
Your pastor,
Paul
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