the mission statement of the Messiah

Dear First Pres SLO Family,

(The remaining texts for the Acts series are at the end of this letter.)

Grace and peace to you in the name of Christ, the one whose name calls us both to bow in worship and venture out in service.

The Church of Scotland published a prayer recently that was very meaningful to me. As we journey through the Book of Acts together, I’m struck by how the early church was moving in ways that were more open, more inclusive, more welcoming—some of that has been lost from time to time in the church’s history.

But this prayer reminds us that there is so much more that we can be and do. So much more that we represent beyond our own squabbles and preferences.

Listen and make this your own prayer today:

We pray for those locked in by hurt

and loneliness and grief.

We pray for those locked in by addiction

and hunger and poverty.

We pray that we may bring our practical care and help

to those who cry out,

and to those who are silent,

and in our lived-out faith and love,

show no partiality

as we bring what hope we can to those in need.

Amen.

There’s beauty in a prayer that reminds us to care about people we often forget. I’m moved by the image of being “locked in”, of being trapped in pain and needing some help to find our way out. Remember the first words Jesus spoke as he started his ministry, quoting from Isaiah 61.

“The Spirit of the LORD is on me

because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives,

and release from darkness for the prisoners.”

It’s right there in the mission statement of the Messiah, looking for people who are “locked in”, and working to set them free. In our closing hymn last Sunday, the ensemble sang these words for us:

“He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free.”

It really is a theme that matters to God, and so it’s a theme that matters to us. As we move through the coming year with new eyes for the “least of these”, we’ll be working to find paths to freedom for people who are trapped by poverty, or racism, or lifeless faith. Buckle up!

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor John

PS: We’ll be moving back to a traditional offering this Sunday. The ushers will be wearing gloves and cleaning the plates with sanitizing wipes, and there will be hand sanitizer in each pew. If you are not comfortable handling the plates, we will still have the offering boxes for you to use.

PSS: Bible in Community Texts

Nov 7 Acts 8:26-40

Nov 14 Acts 9 (Paul’s conversion)

Nov 21 Acts 10:9-23