“Therefore, encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11, NRSVue
October brings a special opportunity for Cornerstone! Our District Superintendent, Rev. Vidalis Lopez, has selected our church to host this year’s cluster Charge Conference on Sunday, October 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. We will welcome people from ten United Methodist churches in our area, and everyone at Cornerstone is invited.
Paul’s words about encouraging one another and building each other up remind us that faith is something we share. One of the many things I love about being a United Methodist is that our church belongs to a larger connection. We have our own congregation and ministries here, but we also share in the life and work of churches beyond our walls.
That connection is part of our Wesleyan tradition. We gather to worship, encourage one another, and plan how we can serve our communities and help build a better world.
If you have never attended a Charge Conference, I hope you will join us. Much of our time will be spent in worship, along with some church business and voting. You will have the opportunity to meet our District Superintendent and get to know fellow United Methodists from neighboring congregations. These gatherings help us remember that we are not an island. We have neighbors in ministry who share our faith and walk alongside us in God’s work.
We will also need volunteers to help with hospitality, welcoming guests, assisting with sign-in, and helping people find their way. A warm smile and a kind, patient attitude can make someone feel at home before the service even begins. That is one simple way we can put Paul’s encouragement into practice. Sometimes building someone up begins with making sure they know they are welcome.
I am proud of Cornerstone and grateful that we have been asked to host. Y’all have so much love to share. As we begin this month, let’s prayerfully consider how we can take part. Let’s have our guests leave encouraged by the worship we share and the welcome they receive. I pray we all leave with a deeper sense of the connection God has given us.
Grace and peace,