Another Pastoral Epistle 5/15/19

This Sunday is On Goal Sign Up Sunday! Our role as the host church is crucial to the success of camp. It is a whole church effort and there are so many different ways you can be involved without even touching a soccer ball (we’ll leave that to the professionals!). On Sunday, you will learn about 3 ways that you can participate:

1. Sign Up: Register for camp and help spread the word.
2. Volunteer: Help serve during the camp week.
3. Donate: Give towards the scholarship fund or donate food and supplies.
Come prepared to join the fun!

I know that you have heard requests for donations quite a bit over the last few months. You have been very generous as a church as those requests come your way. I want to thank you for that! It is obvious that many of those gifts are beyond your regular giving to the church and other ministries outside the church.

There is a passage in Philippians that is often quoted to speak of God’s finishing the work in us that He has begun- and that is indeed true! But it’s likely that “the work” Paul is speaking about is their work of giving. At the end of the book, Paul references their gifts sent through Epaphroditus- “When I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only” (4:15). He then goes on in verse 18 to say, “I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.” With that in mind, now consider Paul’s words in 1:6, “Being confident of this, that he (God) who began a good work (work of giving) in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Paul is confident that the church in Philippi would continue to give as they have done. EBC, I, too have that same confidence with you!

The work of giving to On Goal scholarships and short-term missions and deacons’ fund and what’s next campaign and church budget will be carried on to completion. And as Paul affirms, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

God will indeed meet our needs as a church as we align ourselves with Him. I look forward to seeing what God is going to do in meeting our needs as we have embarked on this “What’s Next” campaign because I have a feeling it isn’t going to be exactly like we might picture it. We continue to lean not on our own understanding but lean in on the One who is working in our lives.

Praise God for the new people visiting each Sunday and the ones who are calling EBC their home! Continue to make these people feel welcomed here! Hope to see you Sunday!

With thanksgiving,
Pastor Brian