Last week, we had a SPRC (The Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations Committee) meeting at the parsonage. This time, we gathered together to prepare for the 2017 Charge Conference of the Upper St. Croix Parish, so it was quite a serious and important meeting. At the end of the meeting, we took time to look back on our past year. Pastor Kook Ho and I were a little bit nervous, because it felt like our ministry was being officially evaluated by church leaders. Thankfully we shared a lot of positive feedback about what we have been doing since we started in July of last year. We have a more active youth group, children’s ministry, visitations, and we have found vitality in our worship service. Also, each church clearly sees their own mission to go forward, and at the same time we all know how we work together for God’s vision as one parish.

I think this is just the first inning! We still have further to go. St. Croix Falls UMC got off to a fine start with their Invitation & Homecoming Sunday last week. During the last 2 months, we had worked hard to invite and re-invite our family, friends, and neighbors to the church, and God might be pleased with our efforts. This will not end as a one-time event of SCF UMC, but will be the churches’ life time goal, because we have the great commandment of Jesus, which is “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Central UMC will start a stewardship program soon! We will study about being God’s good stewards through the campaign including discussion on the book and a sermon series, following God’s call for each one of us to be God’s great steward! Furthermore, we are planning to have a membership class for those who want to join us as an official member. Already, there are some candidates from Wolf Creek UMC and Atlas UMC, and we are looking for more people from other churches too. In addition to this, some more plans for God’s vision lie ahead of us.

As we all know, church is not a building, but a community. Church is a community of God’s people. We will try to do our best to make our church not to be remembered as one of the tall buildings in town, but to be a loving community for all. For this work, we need you! You can support the church through prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness! Currently, many churches, not only in America, but also in many countries are struggling with decreasing membership. Surely, our hope is not in the number of members, but the more that people join in, the better we can make things, so we can change the world with God’s love. God gave us God’s vision, and God already began working in us. As a church, let us joyfully join in God’s great work.

Blessings,

Pastor Ran Yoo

Posted in From The Pastors