Hello Church Family,
I am writing this newsletter from a different location today. I am sitting in Johannesburg, South Africa as we prepare for the Global Methodist Church’s General Conference. After 24 hours of traveling to get here and trying to figure out what time zone I am in, Ginger and I arrived safely. We have met lots of people, some GMC, other’s from the local community. One of the things that I am most excited for is our concert of prayer. We sing, pray and worship together in multiple languages. We take time to live out Revelation 7:9
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
General Conference is a great opportunity for the body of Christ to join together in worship of God. I get to meet my brothers and sisters from around the world as we pray and worship together. I don’t have to know their language to know that the Holy Spirit is working in their life and mine. I can sing familiar songs in different languages as we lift our praises to heaven. I wish every Sunday at RiverStone could look like this.
Jesus Christ is what brings us together. Jesus is able to unite people from different backgrounds and life experiences. People who may not ever meet or who would not have a reason to connect are joined together through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus death on the cross not only reconciled us to God but also reconciled us to each other.
Who are you called to invite to church? Who is God calling you to reconcile with? Could it be someone who looks different and thinks different from you?
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Jeremy