Last summer I stumbled across the following few paragraphs while poking around on various church blogs and websites. Unfortunately I can't credit the author or the church; I've tried to retrace my steps but can't find the reference anywhere!

However, the following articulates so clearly what I have found to be true after more than 25 years of being on staff at this incredible church; my hope is that it either encourages you or challenges you to reframe how you think about the church. I had taken the liberty of inserting the name "Vineyard" in the first sentence. These words hang in my cubicle and it is my perfect reminder of who I serve and why.

The Lord reminds us that The Vineyard is not about a man, a building, a group of leaders, the number of those in attendance, or an annual budget. It is all about Jesus.

Remember this, every number represents a person and every person has a story and every story is a reminder of God's faithfulness in building his church and a reminder of his continued grace. May this encourage us to continue to seek the Lord with great humility and thankfulness for what he has done and may we come to the Lord with a great expectancy for what he is about to do.

God is never stagnant, He is always on the move. Sometimes it is easy to move in tandem with him, sometimes it is not. I have learned through the years that I have to hold things loosely. Thankfully we can count on God being a solid rock. Like it or not, everything else is shifting sand.

Many put their hope in chariots, others in horses,
but we place our trust in the name of the Eternal One, our True God.
Psalm 20:7 The Voice

I believe that in this time of uncertainty, people are looking for something solid to hold on to. If you encounter friends and loved ones who are struggling, please direct them to our church! Let them know about our weekend services, that our pastors are available weekdays to return their calls and pray with them, and that our Healing Center is open and distributing food and personal items. Just have them call the church number at 513.671.0422 and our receptionist team will take good care of them and direct them to the help they need!

Loving Father,

Thank you for being our solid rock. If our faith wanes and we become discouraged, help us to remember to look up and to stay focused on Jesus. He has gone before us and was able to endure tremendous pain knowing that he would joyfully be reunited with you. We thank you that we share in that same blessed assurance. Help us to recognize Jesus as the true head of our church, and help us find ways to serve him by loving others.

In your name, Jesus, we pray.
Amen