Ministry Minute, Grace Episcopal Church, October 22, 2017
Good morning. As most of you know, I’m Teri Smith-Jones. My wife, Kathleen and I have been members of Grace for about two years, and I currently serve as Junior Warden. I volunteered to do this Ministry Minute because I wanted to tell you why I believe this place matters so much. To me, it’s all about the welcome. As Christians, we claim Jesus as our Lord, and Jesus welcomed everyone to the table. So, when I consider joining a church, one of the first things I think about is the many people who have been part of my life, and maybe they’ve been part of yours as well. I think about the child whose family struggled with alcoholism. I think about the gay teenager who loved the Eucharist, but was turned away from the Catholic church. I think about the young woman who needed a safe haven for herself and the children she was raising. I think about the loving couple who never thought the church would bless their union. I think about people with family members who reject them because of who they are. I think about those who desperately need to hear biblical truth instead of biblical literalism. I think about everyone who needs a safe community, where they can be themselves. All of these people are part of me. So, I ask myself: Would they be welcome here? Based on my time here at Grace, it seems to me that, in this place, all people are welcome. Indeed, we proclaim that reality on the sign out front by stating that we love our neighbors with no exceptions because that’s what Jesus calls us to do. So, two years later, I’m still here, and I’m looking very forward to the next steps on our journey together as we prepare to welcome our new priest. If you’ve also come to love this place, then I ask you to join me in thinking about our next steps. Think about where you want us to go, and then think about the gifts of time, talent, and treasure you can offer to help us get there. And, remember that none of the work we are called to do can be done unless we do it together, physically, financially, and most importantly prayerfully. Comments are closed.
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Ministry MinutesEach year during our Annual Giving Campaign, members of Grace Church tell their stories about why they love Grace Church and why they are involved. Each story is different in details but all reflect the love of Christ which is found in this community of faith. Archives
October 2017
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