God's 2020 Vision

BY: REV. DR. CHRIS J. HAYES Senior Pastor

This year we are daring to dream the dreams that God has for us individually and collectively. I know that in the midst of busy lives and constant 24-hour news cycles, it is often difficult to remember that God is always at work in our life and world, and God wants us to be a part of that work. As we continue to consider how God is calling each of us to take part in making the world of God’s imagination come to fruition, I am so thankful for the work we are doing together at First United Methodist Church of Arlington to move us collectively towards God’s dream.

At the beginning of the year, your church lay and staff leadership identified four areas of focus for 2020 that we believe will help us better be the church that God desires for us to be in our community and world. There are always many other important ministries and ideas for us to consider, but with the leading of the Holy Spirit, we know that if we make strides in these important areas, we will be able to better love God and love neighbor which is always our goal here as God’s church. These four areas of focus are:

1. Connect boldly with our community – meaning we want our immediate residential and business neighbors to know that God and First United Methodist Church of Arlington loves them and we are here for them in the midst of our community.

2. Organizational re-structure to energize people for ministry – meaning we want to value each person’s time and ensure that when we meet or gather we are doing so to enact ministry and be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

3. Focus on family and multi-generational ministries – meaning we want to give time and attention to how we develop our children, youth, and students, and ensure that we are connected across these areas of discipleship development. In addition, we want to use the amazing resource we have at First UMC and connect across generations to learn and grow with and from each other.

4. Make capital improvements around our facility in order to ensure hospitality to everyone who comes into our church. These projects include, but are not limited to, restroom upgrades, children ministry area updates, better signage inside and outside the building, a new playground area, sanctuary and great hall worship and video upgrades, and expansions of our welcome areas.

All of these things will help us better love God and better love our neighbors and all of them will help us live into the dreams and hopes God has for us as a family of faith. Thank you so much for all that you have done to get us to this wonderful place in ministry, and thank you for the gifts of your presence, prayers, financial support, service, and your sharing of God’s good news about God’s love and our congregation’s love with the world around us. It is only in partnership with one another and with God that we can live into the vision God has for us all.

May God Bless and Keep, Pastor Chris

HOW CAN I CONTRIBUTE?

For more information on capital improvements and how you can donate, contact Mary Lobban, Business & Finance Administrator at mlobban@arlingtonmethodist.org or in the office at 817-274-2571.