One of the new traditions that I began on Sunday was a yearly "State of the Church Address." The idea being that it gave me a great opportunity to give pastoral voice to all the events that have occurred (or not occurred) in the life of our church over the past year. I felt it would be a great opportunity on the year anniversary of my time at the church (since it happens to fall in January) and to do so in a fun way (as it correlates to the "State of the Union" address we receive from our President).
The pastor of the church where I attended before seminary, Rev. Sarah Shelton, gives one of these each year at Baptist Church of the Covenant (where our former interim pastor, Jere Allen is a member now by the way). I remember thinking when I heard her give hers in 2003 that this would be something I would look forward to giving at my own church one day.
If you missed it, the audio file is posted here. This is a sermon that all church leadership needs to hear!
I'd love to know how well you thought I did. Were their places where I got it right and/or missed the mark?
The idea is that visioning is never a one-sided discussion. What God seeks to do through us, comes not just from my ideas but from all of us banding together in prayerful discernment.
I look forward to hearing from you!
