It’s July and so we’re once again gearing up for a big push to provide backpacks and school supplies to local kids through the Pack Their Packs program. We’ll be taking up a special offering for the next several weeks and you’ll (hopefully) notice donation boxes placed around town. In kind donations are also welcome and can be left in the shopping cart in the main lobby.
Salvation Here and Now and Then and There
One of the FAQ’s (frequently asked questions) pastors receive is: How do I get to heaven? I think this question misses several key points. Salvation is not something that we achieve, it is a gift from God. But I suppose that begs the question: How do I receive salvation? The short answer is by faith. But any longer, more detailed answer must also begin to grapple with the issue of what exactly salvation is. I’ve loved this formulation of John Wesley’s from the first time I read it:
“What is salvation? The Salvation which is here spoken of is not what is frequently understood by that word, the going to heaven, eternal happiness. It is not [merely] the soul’s going to paradise …. It is not a blessing which lies on the other side of death or (as we usually speak) in the other world. The very words of the text itself put this beyond question. ‘Ye are saved.’ It is not something at a distance: it is a present thing, a blessing which, through the free mercy of God, ye are now in possession of. Nay, the words may be rendered, and that with equal propriety, ‘Ye have been saved.’ So that the salvation which is here spoken of might be extended to the entire work of God, from the first dawning of grace in the soul till it is consummated in glory.”
— John Wesley, “The Scripture Way of Salvation.”
I think this gets at a key point: salvation is not confined to the life after death. Wesley assumes that “the first dawning of grace in the soul” happens in this life, while the words “till it is consummated in glory” denote the resurrected life to come. Salvation begins in the here and now and then continues in the glorious new creation (the new heaven and the new earth) that are to come (growing and maturing both here and now and then and there).
Even with this improved understanding the question remains: How do we receive God’s salvation in the life to come? The answer: by opening our hearts to begin receiving God’s salvation now. The two are not severable. God’s grace is always reaching out to us, all we need to do open our hearts in response (and at the start, even the most tentative response will suffice). Thus we begin the relationship with God that is salvation and when we are in a growing relationship with God in the here and now, we need not be anxious about our salvation in the life to come.
Note: I realize that this is somewhat awkwardly worded, but I’m more concerned about making all the relevant points clear than polished prose.
Help Wanted
I’m really thankful for Betty Sandon and her ministry of caring for the many houseplants we have here at First United Methodist Church. They flourish under her care. Now I’m looking for someone to provide a similiar service for the outside landscaping (especially that around the main entrance). I’m really bad at being responsible for it, and I’m sure that many of you could do a much better job.
Who Do You Think You Aren't?
Jamie of “Jamie the Very Worst Missionary” fame has a great post reminding us that our ultimate worth comes not from who we are from whose we are.
Graveside Service for Mary Zenge
A graveside service for Mary (Mamie) Elizabeth Zenge will be held tomorrow (Thursday, July 5, 2012) at 11:30 in Canton, Missouri. Here obituary can be found here.
Combined Worship Service July 15
On Sunday, July 15, 2012 we’ll be having the Vacation Bible School (VBS) worship service at 10:50 am in the sanctuary. VBS Sunday is a important Sunday for the children of our church and it is a worship service you do not want to miss. In accordance with the decision made by the Church Council this will be a combined service (There will not be an 8:10 service).
Reading Assignment
The group sessions for our new book study, Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White, don’t really follow the structure of the original book. According to the “leader’s guide” the recommended reading for the first session is chapters 1, 11, and 21 of the original book. No details are given for those who opted for the “participant guide.”
Church Office Closed for Independence Day
The church office will be closed this Wednesday, July 4, 2012 for the celebration of Independence Day.
Card Ministry
For the second week, we encouraged members of the congregation to sign cards for some of the people we prayed for this morning. We received positive feedback for the cards we sent out last week and encouragement to keep it up. We have every intention of doing so. Jenny and I think having the card signing out in the lobby this week worked better, so there will be a table with the cards on it in the lobby next week. If you have someone to whom you would like us send a card, drop us a line at john@revcollins.com or call the church office at 620-251-3240.