Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:10 (NIV)

Years ago, American Express used the tagline “Membership Has Its Privileges.” Depending on your age, you might also remember their slogan “Don’t Leave Home Without It” that was like a reminder not to forget an umbrella on a rainy day. By joining and continuing to use your American Express card you got an array of services and a wealth of resources that were not available to everyone else.  However, if you did not pay your bills your privileges vanished immediately.

As a member of Christ’s family we join others in faith with the privilege of being a people of God. By belonging to AUMC we enjoy an array of services and resources and they do not stop if we are not able to attend. As a disciple, however, there is an investment to serve others.

We have a code of membership by which we ask all disciples to abide: Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service and Witness. In these challenging times it may seem to be a struggle to keep up with these basic membership principals but even still our church continues to thrive.

Prayer is paramount to a healthy church and a Christian. If ever a time for collective prayer, it has been during this crisis.

At AUMC we have a group of dedicated “Prayer Warriors” who are called to pray for concerns and requests of the people of the church. These are the “front line folks” who pour out and lift up prayers on our behalf when we cannot do so for ourselves.

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Romans 8:26 (NIV)

Presence means to be there for someone every time and is not exclusive to being there in person. Through a kind word, email, text or old- fashioned handwritten letter/card you can share your presence with that person, regardless of the current conditions.

We have a special ministry, called Healing Hearts, that shares the privileges of church membership to those not able to physically attend. Lest you forget many of these folks were once the trailblazers of our church. This ministry’s mission is to serve, love and witness God’s profound love to others. I love their nickname, “Church on Wheels.” On the second Sunday of the month they share church service, provide refreshments and gifts to the residents at the Focused Care Nursing Facility. As one special AUMCer shared, “It is such a joy to see their sweet faces light up when we walk in on Sunday!” Despite the stay-home order, this ministry pivoted to sending  cards of encouragement, “Hometouch” newsletters and church bulletins and phone calls to our home-bound members. This ministry also provides the familiar CareNotes pamphlets about life changing topics that can be found in the church commons area and are available for all of us.

 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
Proverbs 3:27 (NRSV)

Through sharing of our Gifts, we get to see them put into action in a way that impacts lives. These gifts come in the form of time, talent, finances, skills, ingenuity, and diligent work ethic. A vast amount of our time and talent is required to keep the Church moving forward for a congregation of our size. We have dedicated “lay leaders” teaching and leading Sunday School and Small Groups. We have one dedicated AUMCer who has led class for over 20 years! I bet he would have never imagined teaching an online virtual bible lesson. Teaching is truly the gift that keeps on giving. 

¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)

Serving others is the hallmark of AUMC. It is our heritage; it is our culture. Our service to others is why we are here. No pandemic will stop that, despite what the devil may have planned. Just this past week through the leadership and loving care of a special AUMC couple we hosted 2 families that lived in our church through the Family Promise program. These are families needing that hand up like some of us may have experienced at one time or another in the past. Many of you stepped up and provided valuable groceries and meals for the families to enjoy. This house of worship became the “inn” that accepted them when no one else would. 

Witness is powerful at our church. You see it in the dedication of our church staff who despite the challenges and limitations of the stay-home order, keep the spirit and focus of our church pointed towards God. Constant communication, linking up with resources (such as Zoom), spiritual leadership and rallying the troops they have witnessed with their hearts, souls, and minds for our church. We also see it in the way our congregation has responded in the placement of church yard signs, t-shirt sales to raise funds for local missions and sharing countless posts about our livestream services. Living out the resurrection message. Don’t be Afraid. Go and Tell. Come and See.

Hear the good news. We have the privilege of serving a God who promises Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness through the debt paid by his son, Jesus Christ.

By our Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service and Witness is how we live out our privilege to be a people of God for God. Soli Deo Gloria!

La paz esté contigo,
Kenny Shortsleeve, Lay Leader