From the Pastor’s Desk – March 2025

In my devotions this morning, I was reading for the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus sent his disciples, giving them “authority over unclean spirits.” He instructed them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick. No food, no money, not even a change of clothes.

Jesus’ mandate to his disciples is to travel lightly and keep moving. Nowhere do we see him sitting down with the twelve and a map, or a snakebite kit, or a store of provisions, or a feasibility study, or a specific set of “goals,” “strategies” and “objectives.” Jesus gives the disciples (at times as confused and uncomprehending a lot as ever there has been) only what they need most: a mission and the authority to carry it out. All he recommends they take in addition to this is a walking stick a personal goad to keep them moving when the terrain gets rough or when they get weary.

Today the church would never dream of starting on such a significant journey without what we now envision as “adequate provisions.” Yet for all our carefully considered plans, it is doubtful that we are ever as prepared as either David (who we have been studying in our Tuesday bible study group), or the disciples for what the future may offer. David was prepared through his willingness to sit before the Lord in prayer. The disciples were prepared through their certainty that they went out with the matchless authority of Jesus.

Does the church have confidence in that authority or in that power of humble prayers? Does the church, in fact, even remember that it is called to embody a mission, not just live out a survival plan?

How are we doing? I just filled out a questionnaire sent by our conference’s Justice and Mission Team, asking about our commitment to Jesus’ mission mandate, and what resources they could provide for us to get us moving.

While we are doing many things to reach out to the community (and I’m very grateful for this church’s response to the needs of our neighbors), there is still much more to do.

I will be in contact with the Justice and Mission Team soon to see how we can keep our momentum going. I hope you all will come with me.

As always, I welcome your comments,

Pastor Cory