Letter from Pastor Tony
A word from the Pastor
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” ( 1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
A few weeks ago, I fell walking in a median of a road when I my left foot caught a large stone. I knew I was going to fall and so I tried to catch myself only to find myself speeding up as the ground was getting closer to my face. I hit the ground with force and my hands and arms braced the fall, with my wrists taking the brunt of the force. I slowly got up with only feeling pain in my pride as drivers from both sides of the road were stopping to see if I was o.k.
I got up and dusted myself off when I realized my left wrist was a bit sore. It was starting to swell. When I got home, I put ice on the wrist thinking that I was lucky that it wasn’t my right wrist that got hurt. I am right-handed so I am lucky. That night the pain started to come and so I found an old wrist brace to put on to restrict some of the movement. You know it isn’t until part of your body gets hurt that you realized how much we rely on every part of our bodies… even our left ones. Our bodies are created as a whole to work as a whole.
Even though it was my left wrist that got hurt it affected how I did things with both my hands. I seemed to be a bit clumsy in picking things up as my right hand was compromised because of the left hand. Even typing on the computer became a real chore! It has taken a few weeks for the swelling to go down and for me to get full movement of my hand and wrist.
In the scripture reading from the Corinthians, Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to describe how intimately connected we are in the church. Each person in a church congregation matters. Even the left ones. Paul writes, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”
God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
How does this work? Well… we see it especially when our core people in the church are not able to participate in the work of the church for one reason or another. It happens! Life happens. This is where we need to depend on others. This means you too. You might feel like a left wrist at times but there will always be a time when we need you to become the right hand. Our church body has its struggles, and you need to hear and listen to what is being said about your part of the body and how important it is to the whole.
Our congregational meeting is this week-end and we need everyone to come and hear where the church body needs help… we are in transition and it’s kind of like a part of the body is struggling and we need all parts to step up and help the body as a whole. Paul continues saying, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work powerful deeds? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31a But strive for the greater gifts.” What role are you being asked to at this time?
This is a message of unity. Come to the annual meeting to hear what is happening in your church and how you too can be a part of the health of this congregation. Everyone matters! Even the left wrist. AMEN