In 20 years...

Do you like roller coasters? My favorite was The Beast. It was the last of the great wooden coasters. You stood in line for a couple hours in the hot sun just to ride it. It banged you up when you finally got on it. And most of the time, when you were finished, you ran back into line to do it all again. And people paid money to do this!

As a church we have been on a ride! There is a lot to do as we discern and follow God's directing. There is a bit of stress, long hours, and lots of meetings. So why would someone sign up for this ride? Why complicate your life this way?

1. Coasters are more fun with a group. We have a great team here at GUMC. We have tackled some challenges over the past year, and each time we have worked together to find a way forward. Most importantly, we have done this as a team. None of us have to be alone.

2. This ride means something. We have a meaningful future. 20 years from now when our kids, grandchildren, and great grandchildren are part of our church family, they will be thanking God for the decisions we made today. We will have a vibrant flourishing church family sharing the transformed life God offers with the next generations of Girard residents. 

3. We have a faithful God. In 20 years where will you be? I will just be retiring (okay, I hope I will be retiring). I plan to look back on a long ministry which is still bearing fruit even after I leave the pastorate, and hopefully will make an impact even after i leave this planet. Everything we do now, we offer as a sacrifice to God. He will use it for his glory and to build his people. He wants this to happen - even more than we do. We can trust that. Our sacrifice is never wasted. 

So for every meeting, every conversation, every time we step out of our comfort zones, we are making a difference for a generation we may not have even met yet. It's going to be a wild ride. But it will be worth every minute of it. Let's get in line - again!

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