What’s Your Story?
For 25 years of ministry, I have mostly depended upon my work, my research, my reading, my stories to craft my weekly sermons. For our just-completed Encounters series, however, I invited you to share your stories with me… and with your whole church family. Stories of loss, fear, doubt, and last week—remarkably–even your stories of shame. In those five weeks I have heard repeated testimonies from you of how powerfully God worked through those messages. I think the “X” factor was obvious: the people of God value hearing from the people of God.
One of the goals Session has placed before me this coming Jubilee year is to encourage our people to share their testimonies: stories of conversion, healing, answered prayer, of witnessing. Stories of success and stories of struggle. The centerpiece to every story will be this question: What is God doing in and through you that needs to be shared?
A starting point will be “Your Story”, a new feature on our website beginning mid-June. You will be invited to go online and offer your answer to the question, “What is God doing in and through you that needs to be shared?” It will have to be brief—500 words or less—and we would prefer that you attach a picture to go with it. We will invite a few folks to share their story on video and will integrate these video stories into of our Sunday worship services… a new twist on the old “share your testimony” idea.
This is new for us so you will need to be patient as we learn how to coordinate this fledgling initiative. If you have administrative gifts that would help us in the launch and management of this program, let us know.
Anyhow, here’s the bottom line: Every one of you has a story. We want to hear it and share it…. to the glory of God.
Pastor Mark
P.S. Mother’s Day this Sunday! Come early! And… we are only 83 people away from our target for the All-Church Survey. Only a few days left to let your voice be heard.