Win Nothing Instantly . . .
Those words were on the underside of Snapple bottle lids – a humorous mockery of the ever-popular scratch off lottery tickets and peel off stickers promising a free diet coke at McDonalds. Basically, it asserted this: you drink Snapple because you enjoy it, not because there is a prize under the cap.
Alas a perfect description of what we do in ministry. We win nothing instantly. If you are in it for the quick fix, the perfect program, the young pastor that will solve all the sustainability issues, the young family craze, the church spruce-up, then you will most likely be disappointed.
Ours is a labor of love, perseverance, consistency and faith. We repeat the liturgical calendar, we worship, we engage our community, we plan and pray in the hope that our efforts yield a harvest that we may or may not see immediately. In the Presbytery we are looking at the vision, the staff alignment, the ministry of the Center, our finances and our march to the 2020 General Assembly. This process started last year and will continue into the future – the operative word being “process”.
I trust as you try new things, expand your outreach, experiment with worship, learning, fellowship and make new friends, your church and ministry may see growth in wonderful and surprising ways. As the Presbytery leaders match our vision with our resources, energy and needs of our congregations, we believe our corner of the “reign of God” will thrive in these changing times!
As we wrap up Lent, remember we do this, because we love God! And that love always wins.