PART # 4 - For the past four years we as a district have worked with our current vision / mission statement. We have measured all ministry by these few words,
"Proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ ...
through our Unity, our Celebration, our Sharing...
and thereby making disciples of Jesus Christ
for the Transformation of the World."
Early on we attempt to teach our children about sharing. Some of our work takes, and other portions of it do not take so well. The best way for our children to learn about sharing is to see it in action, from us.
How are we as the churches of the Atlanta Emory District doing with sharing? There are many of our churches that share over and beyond their means in the area of missions. We have mission outreach to every corner of the globe through our district and all over the metro area. Several of our congregations share from their abundance as Global Mission congregations and other support missionaries from around the world with Global Ministries or The Mission Society. There is the sharing of our blessings with a host of needy and hungry individuals in Atlanta and right on our front steps. We do well at sharing in missions.
How well do we share with each other? Do we share our ideas, our staffing resources, our laity, and our time and talents with other United Methodist congregations in our area? Or have we grown to be silo stations? Congregations that focus only inward and on how to keep the church going for a few? The purpose of the Wesley Cell Groups is for us to learn sharing, and several congregations have taken the leap are are sharing with one another.
It is my belief that we proclaim the love of Jesus Christ by our sharing. As we openly look beyond ourselves and seek to be a blessing as Christ has blessed us as a congregation, more blessings will follow, and more people will see and feel the love of Christ. When we give to missions, when we help another church this will happen. But it also happens when we share our stories and our faith in love and respect to those around us. There is so much to share.
As I child I learned to share with an open heart, because it brought a smile to the face of the one I was sharing with which in turn brought joy to my heart. I pray that we as a district learn to share not so we might get more, but so we can give more and see the kingdom of God grow by leaps and bounds.
I share with you all my love and my support. I pray it helps proclaim the love of Christ,
Dana