We're Growing! How Should We Respond?

First some practical matters: Pictured is a really nice guy named Joe, from Fidelis Care, a Catholic-based, state-funded health insurance organization serving underprivileged families in NY state. Dave, Barry and I met with him last Monday to discuss how Fidelis can link with WNC in community outreach. Beyond placing registration info. in our Blessing Shop, Joe is excited about other ways he can partner with us, such as offering free pizza on our first movie night next month and setting up a give-away booth at Community Days. We were blessed to see such passion for helping those in need coming from Joe. 

A community garden is in the works! One of our faithful volunteers, Belle, is reaching out to local businesses who are donating garden supplies for the project. Belle and I are planning to attend the ARC group home meeting on Main St. to discuss working with them and their residents by offering opportunities to "get their hands dirty" through garden care this summer. This organization, like Joe, somehow discovered WNC and caught the growing excitement.

Dave and I met with the Community Days planning committee on Sunday and consider it a privilege to work hand in hand to serve this community and bring life back to it. Come out to the Community Days chicken BBQ fundraiser at the fire hall this Saturday at 11:00!


Now then, on to spiritual matters.... As you might be noticing, if you have been attending WNC for the last few weeks, it seems we have achieved the coveted "visitor retention" that so many churches strive to attain through countless church growth seminars and books. (To quote someone, we prefer to "God-retention!") 

Visitors from the Wellsburg community are coming back to stay it seems; there is no revolving door at WNC. And the amazing thing is, we have done nothing proactively to make this happen, except to simply function together as the Body of Christ, each one doing what he or she is called to do according to our unique giftings (one of the most important gift being friendliness. You people are so warm and welcoming! This is the #1 thing people look for in a church).

Having stated the above record of success, I ask, how do we respond within our hearts? It's tempting to feel smug, isn't it? To silently revel in the things we are doing right. 

I remember the day, years ago, I realized God was calling to me to the ministry. He gave me this verse to tuck in my heart and carry with me always: "...(W)alk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). I give that to you as well; tuck it in your hearts and carry it with you every step of your journey at WNC. That is the only way we will see continued success.

We can't afford to get puffed up. People need the Lord, and we have the means to point them to Him. But our fingers must be pointed away from ourselves at all times. This also means away from other ministries. As was prayed at the National Day of Prayer Gathering last Thursday, "May we seek to love and protect our fellow shepherds as much as we do our own sheep."

Will you join Dave and me in walking humbly with our God, to the best of our ability? We are thrilled about what God is doing at WNC. But we also possess a sober awareness that it could all go up in a cloud of prideful smoke if we're not careful to keep giving glory to Jesus for all He has done, is doing, and will do!

"We're in this together,"
Faith