November 20, 2009

Dear family and friends of WCPC:

Our theme for this year’s Stewardship focus has been “Continue the Journey.”  This Sunday, as part of worship, you will have the opportunity to bring forward or place in the offering plate your financial commitment as a disciple to the ministry and mission of The Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church, as together we continue our journey as a community of faith.    Several weeks ago you received a “Commitment Card” in the mail.  Additional cards will be in the pew racks this Sunday.

You might ask why is this necessary and important.  First your Session will determine the budget for 2010 based in large part on the responses received.   Your regular and faithful financial support is the means through which we fund  the many ministries that bless both the members of this congregation and those outside of it.  

While this reasons is certainly important for you to note, the second reason is by far the most important – your regular and faithful giving is part of your call to discipleship.

This Sunday is “Christ the King” Sunday.  In preparation for the service you might wish to read the scripture I’m using for the text of my message – John 18: 33 -38.  In this passage Jesus declares both his Lordship and the Kingdom he came to usher in.  As followers of Jesus, our Lord and King, we offer our lives, everything in response to his call to discipleship.    

I grew up in the Presbyterian Church in the United States.  In 1976 that denomination presented a new Book of Confessions for consideration.  This new Book of Confessions was rejected by a vote of the presbyteries, though it was recommended for study.  One of the proposed statements of faith, “A Declaration of Faith,”  has been very helpful to me as I have considered  my discipleship.   We’ve used sections from it  on occasion at WCPC as our Statement of Faith.   Let me share one portion of it that is very relevant to our your prayerful consideration of your response this Sunday.

Jesus is our living Lord.

Jesus was dead and buried,

but God raised him from the dead.

The risen Lord appeared to his followers.

They recognized him as their Master

who had been crucified.

Before Jesus left them,

he commanded them to proclaim to all people

the good news of his victory over death,

and promised to be with them always.

We are certain that Jesus lives.

He lives as God with us,

touching all of human life with the presence of God.

He lives as one of us with God.

Because he shares our humanity

and has bound us to himself in love,

we have an advocate in the innermost life of God.

We declare that Jesus is Lord.

His resurrection is a decisive victory

over the powers that deform and destroy human life.

His lordship is hidden.

The world appears to be dominated by people and systems

that do not acknowledge his rule.

But his lordship is real.

It demands our loyalty and sets us free

from the fear of all lesser lords who threaten us.

We maintain that ultimate sovereignty

now belongs to Jesus Christ

in every sphere of life.

Jesus is Lord!

He has been Lord from the beginning.

He will be Lord at the end.

Even now he is Lord.                                           

Thanks be to God!

Your pastor,

David Jones