Working for the Good of our communities - Part 1

I was asked in a governors meeting the other day what our churches mission statement was.  I was relieved that on the spot I could say it "to be grace in the community to the glory of God."  The question is how are we being grace in the community.

Partially we do that every Sunday as we meet and proclaim the gospel, as we model the gospel to them in the way we care for one another and in the way grace overflows in our love for those in the community outside our fellowship.  We are grace in the community as we hold events and invite people in, as we cook and support and share.

But we also want to be grace in the community as we look to bring to the community basic things it needs in order to flourish.  The impact of Grace Church being in Hayfield ought to be obvious, there ought to be a hole in the life of the community if we were not there.  Hayfield ought to flourish because of the prayers, presence and purposeful service of God's people in their midst.

That is quite a challenge.  It got me thinking where can we encourage flourishing and well being where it doesn't exist?  Where can we serve and love and care?  How do we make that sustainable as a small church which is not either financially rich or people rich?

Those questions must drive me to God's word again and again and again.  People's greatest need is their eternal need, they need Jesus.  First and foremost the Bible ensures that I put that foundation in place, and keeps on bringing me back to that.  But it also encourages me to pray for God to send workers, partners, and prayers.  And that's prayer we want to make daily.