From the Pastor
Throughout the month of June, Molly and I preached a sermon series entitled “Your Part Matters.” At First Christian Church, it’s easy to see the visible leaders—Elders, board members, preachers, musicians—but Scripture reminds us that every person in the church has a vital role to play. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:18, “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.” That includes those who rock babies in the nursery, greet with a warm smile at the door, or run the sound and slides on Sundays without being noticed.
Every one of your gifts contribute to the whole church here at First Christian. Romans 12:4–5 says, “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
Some of us serve through prayer, others through organizing meals, cleaning up the coffee station every Sunday, mentoring youth, or quietly showing up when someone needs a listening ear. These are not small things. They are sacred things. When we recognize that no role and no person is insignificant, we can begin to reflect the kind of community Jesus taught us to work toward and live out—where love, humility, and service bind us together.
As Henri Nouwen once wrote:
"We are not called to be successful, but faithful. Our little acts of faithfulness, even if they seem insignificant in the eyes of the world, are precious in God’s eyes."
May we continue to be the Body of Christ—where every part is valued, every gift is honored, and every person is needed.
As always, I look forward to seeing you, especially in worship,
Pastor Robert
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