When I was in seminary, I spent a summer in Malawi Africa as a “Youth In Mission,” a program of the Presbyterian Church USA. I was often called on to bring greetings from the church in the United States when I met with various groups. I usually began my greetings with a passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul says to the church in Rome,
For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you
some spiritual gift to strengthen you – or rather,
so that we might be mutually encouraged
by each other’s faith both yours and mine.
(Romans 1:11-12)
I was always surprised by how much my presence alone was an encouragement to the Christians in Malawi. They were grateful that I had taken the time to come and be with them and that the church in the United States cared about them. But mostly I talked about how much my own faith was strengthened and encouraged by the time I spent with them.
I’ve been thinking about this verse as my time as your pastor comes to an end. I certainly hope that I have been able to encourage your faith in these 8 ½ years together. But mostly I’m aware of all the ways I have been encouraged and blessed by your faith—but your deep commitment to Christ and to the church, and to living your faith out in the world in concrete ways.
We’ll have a celebration of my time here at Westminster after the 11am service this Sunday. But I hope it is not primarily a celebration of me, but rather a celebration of the ministry we have shared over these last 8 ½ years, and the ways that we have been able to mutually encourage each other’s faith as we have sought to celebrate God’s grace, follow Jesus, and participate in God’s work of healing the world.
Blessings.
Ernie
Comments