New Life “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.� John 15:1-2 We are a resurrection people in the church. Our witness and hope is rooted the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are believers in God who is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). The new thing God is doing requires that we let go of ourselves and fully rely on God through Jesus Christ. The new things God is doing invites us to be present with heart and in spirit to hearing God in new ways as we live into this twenty-first century. Even as we move through this season of COVID-19, we are seeing congregations adapt to new ways of being church. As social distancing and isolation continues for many, the church has taken to Zoom and other platforms and are seeing an increase in numbers. People are joining the church from their homes. They are visiting the church from their homes, sometimes joining services across the miles. This is a new thing, it may not be the only new thing - we can start celebrating what we see breaking forth around us in this season of change. Our transformation is on-going as people, and as the church. Jesus’ words point to the pruning and letting go that is necessary for a tree to bear fruit. God as the winegrower prunes and trims so that the tree can flourish and yield its capacity of fruit in its season. God is doing a new thing among us, trimming and pruning in the life of the church. It is time for the church to let go of the branches that are not flourishing and to find its way to being open to the Spirit moving in a mighty way among us that is beyond the numbers in the pews and the shrinking resources. God must be at the centre of who we are and all that we do, and then this season will bring forth new life among us.
Rev Dr Karen Georgia A. Thompson is the Associate General Minister for Wider Church Ministries and Operations in the United Church of Christ and Co-Executive for Global Ministries with the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She shares her skills and gifts in various national and international settings, often using her poetry as a part of her ministry. She previously served as Minister for Racial Justice, and as Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. Her passion for racial justice moved her work into a global context to participate in efforts to reduce the marginalisation experienced by African descendant communities. She is currently a member of the National Council of Churches Committee that planned and implemented A.C.T. Now to End Racism initiative and continues to lead the on-going efforts to dismantle racism.
www.cwmission.org
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