Here at Mount Lebanon, we call it the End Times season of our year. It’s a time in our congregation when we focus on the return of Jesus at the end of time. We study and think about in a specific sort of way his return on the last day. We think about Judgment Day. We read what Jesus has to say to us about these last days. We remember and give thanks for the saints, the holy ones, who have gone ahead of us. We remember how Jesus is the King, once crowned with thorns and now crowned with glory. Long live the King! Ever may he reign!
This fills everything that we do as a church with a bit of urgency. If it’s true that Jesus may return at any moment (and he might!), then we better be ready. And it is the primary work of the church to get people ready for that day through a Word and Sacrament life. This is urgent business. It is urgent for the already gathered community of those who are holy through the blood of the Lamb. I take that seriously, the getting you ready work. There isn’t time to waste in this work. Jesus may come at any moment, and I want to do all I can to ensure you are ready. This is urgent business.
It is also serious business. There is nothing trivial about the Word and Sacrament life of the church. I may wear jeans and a T-shirt to the office on any given day. I may not always wear a suit coat. But that doesn’t make the work we’re doing any less serious. Eternity is on the line. People’s salvation is on the line. This Word and Sacrament life is serious business, for the gospel in Word and Sacrament alone is my life and yours, too. This is serious business.
That’s why we’re going to keep forging ahead in our ministry. We’re not going to sit back. And this Sunday is one of the ways we’re going to keep pressing forward. We’ve been calling it an open forum and the Event to get you Connected. Let me explain a little bit.
On Sunday, we’ll gather for worship like usual. It’s our Saints Triumphant Sunday. We’ll witness a new saint in the making through baptism. We’ll remember the saints who have been glorified with Jesus. And then, we’ll talk mission. There are three main parts of the day:
1) We want you to share your vision for Mount Lebanon with us. How would you describe us today? How do you hope to describe us in five years?
2) Each area of our ministry will have a table. At their table will be snacks and information about what they’re up to. Ask them questions! Find out more about what we’re doing. Then, take a moment at their table to answer a few questions about your ideas for our ministry together. We want to do our best to capture your ideas and reflections for the work we do together. This is OUR ministry - yours, mine, and ours.
3) We'd like to know how you'd like to get involved. I know that many of you have walked down this road, but bear with us. We want you to think about it again. Please fill out the interest sheet as we gather the troops and rally the family for our ministry.
That’s a thumbnail sketch of what’s coming. We hope you’ll be able to make it. Sunday is going to be quite a day. See you then.
Pastor Nate
PS. Note the sign-up sheets below.