Sending Sunday Coming On November 20
In the Great Commission found in Matthew 28, Jesus tells his followers to “go and make disciples.” As followers of Jesus, we are a sent people. We have been called to go into our community to bless the Glen Lake area with the love and hope of Jesus Christ.
I am thrilled to announce that on Sunday November 20, we are going to be participating in our first ever “Sending Sunday.” We will gather together at our usual time, 10:00am to prepare our hearts to be sent out into the community. There will be a variety of ways that you can be the hands and feet of Jesus in the community that day no matter your age or ability. Some of the options include working on homes to get them ready for winter, going on a prayer journey, or visit the elderly. As I continue to pray about Sending Sunday, I truly believe that God longs to use this time to not only do a transformative work in our community, but also in our lives.
I know for some, Sending Sunday may sound scary or intimidating. For other the constructs you grew up with informed you that “church” happens inside the four walls of a building on Sunday. If this is you, I want to share a story with you about how God might be at work in both you and the community on a Sending Sunday: While I was a seminary intern at LifeQuest Church in Holland, every 5th Sunday we would go out and serve the community on a Sending Sunday. One such Sunday, I invited my parents to be a part of the event. I remember my mom and dad being a bit apprehensive, but they decided to give it a try. One of the first things my mom said to me was “It seems weird to be wearing blue jeans and an old painted sweatshirt to church.”
We broke into teams and were sent into the community. My team went to a mobile home owned by a lady named Cindy. We were tasked with getting the trailer ready for winter and to get some trim hung up inside. The team, including my parents, jumped in and got to work not only on the project but importantly in getting to know Cindy. One of my joys that day was getting to teach a 12 year old boy how to cut wood on a saw and nail it into place with a nail gun. Not only did his face light up when he got to use power tools, he still talks about that moment to this day. As the projects wrapped up, we took some time to pray with Cindy. Cindy was born and raise as a Hindu but she listened to talk about Jesus and pray because we had earned the right to be heard.
After we left Cindy’s house, I remember my parents saying that there was something so right about living out our Christian faith this way. They said it was as if they were living out their worship in the community instead in a church building. A couple weeks later, I called my parents to tell them that Cindy had come to worship and decided to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior! Let’s trust that God wants to do the same in our lives and in this community.
As we prepare to be sent out on November 20, I want to give you a couple of details. First, on Sunday November 13, Rev. Toby Gruppen, the Pastor of LifeQuest will share about their journey of being a sent church. You will not want to miss hearing from this gifted preacher and teacher of the Gospel. After worship on the 13th, we will have sign-ups available for you to pick the project you feel God tugging on your heart to participate in. If you cannot make it, join us on Sunday, November 20 and we will get you connected with a team. Finally, we want to encourage you to see this as a chance to invite your friends and family who do not go to church. This can be a great chance for them to experience the gift of Christian community. For more information, check out of Facebook page, the bulletin, or talk with Steve Schwaiger, Abby Deeters or myself.
-Also seen in the November Newsletter
