Selflessness, Hospitality, & Connectionalism - A Message from Pastor Tom

Dear Church,

Well, we did it!

We have paid off our mortgage and St. James UMC is completely debt free. I think of the words from Hebrews 12: “therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”

The faithfulness of so many over the years has brought us to this place, and now we can lay aside the weight of that mortgage. I believe that will enable us to dream about the future in exciting new ways as we consider what God might have in store for us.

At our recent orientation for the leaders of St. James, I lifted up three principles and three questions that I think can guide us as we dream together and live into the vision God has for us:

• Selflessness: The idea of putting others first is central to our whole understanding of the Christian gospel. Jesus told the disciples, “Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” (Mt 16:25).

To guide us into selflessness, we ask:

How can I make ‘this’ less about me and more about others?

• Hospitality: Welcoming the stranger and providing a place for others is crucial for us. The book of Hebrews speaks of entertaining “angels without knowing it.” (Heb. 13:2). Unfortunately, we may not always know the barriers we put up that make some feel unwelcome. I think of a conversation I had in a church many years ago when I suggested building a ramp and a new doorway. I was asked, “Why? We don’t have anyone in a wheelchair.” To which I replied, “That’s why.”

Hospitality takes effort and thought, and so we ask:

Who isn’t here and why?

• Connectionalism: The idea of the Church as more than St. James animates our understanding as United Methodists. We see ourselves as part of a much bigger ministry, encompassing the whole world. Locally, we have opportunities to partner with other United Methodist congregations and other faithful ministries so that we can impact the whole region. We are no longer the congregation we were 5-10 years ago, and yet, we still have resources that can be used to build up the whole Body of Christ. We can bring other congregations along, especially other United Methodist congregations, by sharing our resources and supporting one another.

To live into our place as a regional leader, we ask:

How might we partner with other congregations and make everyone better?

These three questions of selflessness, hospitality, and connectionalism can lead us into a new chapter together. Look for these questions around our campus and begin to reflect on them so that we can move into our new chapter together.

I believe God has much in store for us in the coming years and together we can Follow Jesus, Love Others, Change the World. I am grateful for the faithfulness and generosity of so many. I can’t wait to see what God will do next.

Pastor Tom