Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The month of April is here and we continue to journey with Jesus to the Cross. Over the past few weeks since Lent begun, we have been engaged in Lenten Teaching Sessions. These teachings are engaged, not to just speak about the topic of Lent, but to help guide and mold us into being disciples by addressing issues that affects us as people called Methodist and as a church. On Wednesday of this week, we will focus on the Strategic Plan of our Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas. This teaching will indeed be informative, and all members are encouraged to sign in. As we journey as Christians, we are to always have a strategy. A strategy that will guide our direction in our Christian journey, and where we want to be in the future. The journey through Lent can be compared to a ‘strategic plan coming to life’, as each year the church follows a particular liturgy that guides us to the Cross of Christ. We use Tragedy to Triumph liturgies, Signs and Symbols, Midday Lenten Reflections, and Lectionary based readings to guide our faith journey.
‘How has been the reflections so far?'
‘Do you have a strategic plan for your spiritual life?’
‘What are you doing to fulfil that plan?’
God through Christ has strategic plan for us, and we place ourselves in this plan. May we find comfort in this poem from Mrs. Linda E. Rock of Barbados (stanza 1-3, 5):
Who would desire like Jesus to be?
Who, in carnal mind, would to such agree?
Who, just like him, would desire to live?
Who their whole life, to Jesus would give?
Who would take kindly, being insulted?
Who’d have their name despised and rejected?
Who would be one, of sorrow and pain?
Who would have all this, and not complain?
Who would settle, for having no beauty?
Who would accept such deep humility?
Who would be one acquainted with grief?
Who would with Jesus, share this belief?
This then is Jesus, see Him vividly,
His one desire, to please God wholly,
Willing to accept His lowly way
Doing His Father’s Will, every day.
Barren But Not Fruitless
May the God of Strategy, grant you a wonderful week.
Shalom!
Rev. Stacia