I had a curiosity and hunger to know and experience God.  I wanted to grow as a person to be more like Jesus, whom I had heard about ever since I was small.  (Thanks, Mom and Dad--and thanks to the church!)  I wanted to be his disciple and hoped that he would use me to do his will.  The stories in the Bible where Jesus called people to follow him used to practically lift off the page for me!  I had a sense that no other adventure could surpass the one of being a servant of the God who loves people so much and of the kingdom God designed to bless the whole world in surprising ways.  That's why I wanted to organize my life to serve God and do everything I could to help others find the same life in Christ that is the life of love, peace and blessing that really is life in all its fullness.   

What good is organized religion? No good at all if it is only a human organization.  But organized by the Spirit of God, calling people and meeting them with the transformative love of Jesus Christ, growing people and helping them to maturity in Christ, gifting people and sending us to serve under the mastership of the Savior, the church is valuable in every way!   One of the interesting things about the book of Acts, is that the early church struggled with organization.  It is clear that the church, guided by the Holy Spirit, had to continually scrap its own plans and traditions to keep up with God's saving work in the world.  That has not changed, because the church's work must be God's mission.  As our ELCA slogan says, "God's work, our hands."  

As we prepare for our June semi-annual meeting, it is to do God's work.  We gather for our 7:30 PM Wednesday night Bible study to explore the answers Jesus gave to seekers.  We are seeking too.  For example to know, "How boldly can I pray?"  As we share our gifts and offer our abilities, we give of ourselves as God's loving servants.  As we worship, we come hungry for the Word and Sacraments, to meet and glorify God, to hear God's answers for life, to seek God's call and to intercede for others.  In children's messages and blessings at the altar, we seek to help the young to grow in God's love and model that by even blessing the little heads of their stuffed animals!  Whenever we meet, let our purpose be to "Anchor people in Christ, growing in faith, love and service."  The compassion we share with the world and one another pays forward the love God first gave us!  Our advocacy proclaims God's justice.  As we serve, and Hope loves to serve, we are really doing it as an essential part of our spirituality!  As we teach Vacation Bible School, it is with a certain kind of awe at the joy of children, discovering the old, old story that welcomes and makes people God's own sons and daughters.  So, is our goal simply "organized religion"?  Not at all!  But a church that responds to God's call--Amen!  May the Spirit fill us with the love of Christ and equip us with such faith and joy in believing that we follow him always!  

Pastor Pat Medley