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| For All the Saints"Proclaim the word urgently, in season and out of season..." (2 Timothy 4:2) When our United Methodist Superintendent, The Rev. Emma Moore-Kochlacs, visited us recently, she reminded us of our mission to be the body of Christ. "In these times," she said, "if we can be a diverse group of people living and serving together in harmony, then we can give hope to the world." In the days following the Sept. 11 attacks, people turned to the church (including our church) in greater numbers than usual. Within a few weeks, however, people's usual habits and patterns reasserted themselves. But whether people are flocking to our doors, or going about their business as usual, our ministry is the same. We are the followers of Jesus who welcome everyone, who care for one another, who love and worship God, who strive to grow in grace and faith...in season and out of season. In the times when people notice us, we hope that what they will see is the light of Christ shining through us. In the times when nobody seems to be aware of us, we are still doing God's work in the world--and the world benefits, whether it knows it or not. We have been blessed these past 10 years to experience the slow but steady growth of our congregation. We were able to report to the Rev. Emma that our worship attendance is up by about 30% this year, and our membership increased 10% over last year. And even as we celebrate this growth, I find myself feeling thankful for those who remained faithful to the ministry of the church and kept it alive in the years when it was shrinking rather than growing. Our joy in ministry today is due in large measure to those who held fast to the call to "proclaim the word urgently, in season and out of season." Those who have been here over the decades have seen times of prosperity and times of difficulty, yet they remained true to the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world in all times and places. Perhaps this is the moment to recognize and thank our five remaining charter members: Roy H. Your vision and persistence has allowed us to be who we are today, and we honor you. We at Pacific Beach United Methodist Church, whether we've been here for 54
years or less than one, are the body of Christ in our community today. The Together, we will run the race that is set before us! Pastor April |
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