Dear Friends,
I + you = we
This is an equation for the church at work. It’s like that great hymn #558 in our United Methodist Hymnal. The refrain reminds us “I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together.” None of us can or should try to be the church on our own. Likewise, the “we” cannot exist without our participation.” The church, by definition, is the collective Body of Christ. The Apostle Paul goes to great length to explain to us how every part of the Body is important, and serves different functions.
We United Methodists are blessed to be part of a denomination that is called “connectional.” That means that we are not only part of a community here in Milford, but part of a national and international community as well. Sometimes people see that larger structure as the big, amorphous “they.” But that’s simply not the case. It is you and I, along with many others, who make up this larger community of faith. We elect persons to represent us and our views in the larger church. We are able to help people in need across the world because the network of ministry is already established. United Methodists are able to make a powerful statement for the sake of Jesus Christ in our world. It is definitely a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
As we begin this new year of ministry together, I invite you to consider where you fit into the equation. Be part of the “we” that serves our God every day.
Blessings,
Linda
