11 January 2008

Perspective

I take a lot for granted, but I never seem to notice what I have until I am in a different context.  About once a year I am given the opportunity to teach doctoral students or seminar participants about some aspect of congregational development.  Often these journeys take me to the suburbs of Chicago.  The biggest shock for me is always how run-down these communities look.  The reality is that they are not run down at all…they are simply a stark contract to the community I experience living in south Charlotte.  And the funny thing is that after a while I don’t even notice how beautiful south Charlotte is, until I have an opportunity to go elsewhere.  And once again I am reminded of the abundant gifts God gives me each and every day.

 

As we begin this new year, I want to give public thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for the abundant blessings he has poured out on this Beloved community.  In a land of big churches, it is easy to lose perspective.  And even though we have challenges, the biggest of which is our common financial goal for self-sufficiency reported each week in eNews, God’s abundance continues to pour down upon us.

 

Who could have guessed that we would have almost 300 people at the Christmas Eve Christ Mass this year?  What a blessing to have seven new households become part of our community since the first of December, bearing specific testimony to the fact that our community is on a growth trajectory once again! (For those who like specific data, 214 people are connected to Church of the Beloved and the average Sunday attendance increased by three this past year, from 117 to 120.)  Based on 2006 average Sunday attendance statistics, this means that Church of the Beloved (at age six) is larger than 73 out of 118 congregations in the Diocese of North Carolina.  And how astounding, that through the generous response to God’s call through each of you, this baby faith community has now exceeded $100,000 of direct evangelistic and humanitarian aid to people in our community, our nation and our world (including $3,172 collected for our Christian sisters and brothers in Iraq through this year’s annual Giving to Christ at Christmas Appeal)!

 

Perspective is important.  It helped the wise men find the child they were looking for and avoid a bloodthirsty king.  Perspective freed them from fear and worry about the future and allowed them to experience the joy of the moment when they were able to bow down, worship and offer their gifts to the Lord of Life.  We have come far together; God bless you for your participation in the work of the Gospel and for the great joy you bring to doing this work.  May 2008 be filled with even greater joy for each of us as we seek to diligently find, serve and give offerings to the Beloved One. 

 

J. Derek Harbin, priest

 

 

Around Beloved…Sunday Christian Formation continues this week with a special Epiphany Intergenerational Event.  The adults will meet with Pastor Sally and those under 15 will meet with Fr. Derek.  Don’t miss this special day!

 

 

Special thanks to all who made our Epiphany celebration so meaningful last week, especially all pageant participants, those bakers of homemade goodies for hospitality, those who stayed afterwards to help pack costuming, and David Zoernig and Calvin Hefner for the beautiful antique wise men statuary that enhanced our worship space on this holy day.  Thanks also to those who stayed (including Bishop Gregg and his wife, Kathy) and helped decorate our worship space for Christmastide…for Janie Wooten, Brian McCarthy, Mary and Frank Reid who, with others, made sure we had everything we needed for a delicious chili lunch….for Christa and Lucy Bockweg and Linda Mellon who were a tremendous help with preparing the peanut-butter-and-birdseed-covered items for the Tree for the Birds decorated by the children…for Brent & Stephen Brower, Brian McCarthy, Fred Mellon, Robb Burgie and Lucy Bockweg who cleaned up vast quantities of bird seed off the floor and peanut butter off the sinks… for Janie Wooten and the Sacramental Reception Team who prepared a wonderful hospitality time for Christmas Eve…for Katrina West who helped transport candles from Home Moravian Church in Old Salem for Christmas Eve….and for the untold numbers of people around the country who pray that all that is done at Beloved is for God’s glory.

 

 

Beloved eNews publishes each Thursday.  News and calendar information should be submitted via email by Monday.

 

January 6…Attendance: 168; Worship Offering: $3,022.  Income needed for ministry each week: $5,500 (fully funded) à $4,400 (requiring other funding sources i.e. fundraising events).  The financial goal of Church of the Beloved is to reach self-sufficiency (i.e. pay all expenses without income from outside sources) by 12/31/2008.

 

 

Scripture Readings for January 13…Isaiah 42:1-9 & Matthew 3:13-17

 

Serving at God’s Altar on January 13…Complete setup/complete teardown: Angel Army Team #3; Acolytes: Victoria Floyd, Brian Sanniota, Jack Sanniota and Katie Sanniota; Offering Basket Passers: Joseph Duty, Gabi Leinenkugel, Emma Ryan, Olivia Anton; Offering Tellers: Liz Wilson; Presenters: Craig, Marilyn and Ben Doyon; Altar Bread Baker: Shari Wynn; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Frank Reid & Mary Reid; PowerPoint: Joseph Nichols; Reader: Jan Floyd.

 

In our Prayers…click here

 

Upcoming Calendar…click here