God “granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.”
— Ephesians 4:11-13
The life of the church is so very much more than just an organization that goes about the work of religion, or a club that shares particular interests, or even a way of thinking about God. Church is fundamentally a community, a body that shares in the life of Christ. The Church is called into being by the Spirit of God and lives together to become “the full stature of Christ.”
For us as United Methodists, this idea of “Church” is more than an individual congregation. It is the whole “connection” as Mr. Wesley would term it. It is the combined life of congregations around Eastern North Carolina and beyond. We share in all the work that is the life of Christ.
This week, we will live into that connection in special ways. On Friday and Saturday, we will serve as host to “Licensing School” for new pastors. On Sunday we will welcome our resident Bishop, Connie Mitchell Shelton to celebrate Pentecost Sunday.
Licensing School is for persons about to take a first appointment in ministry. For those “called to be pastors,” it is a chance to reflect on the elements of ministry and learn some of the practicalities of pastoral life. Those who take part will go from this time to help congregations grow into the full stature of Christ. I serve as “director of licensing” for the North Carolina Conference. This year, the licensing school will be held at St. James. I am grateful for all who will help to make this possible and ask that you pray for our participants.
Bishop Shelton serves as the Episcopal leader for our whole conference. She has been our bishop since 2022, coming to us from Mississippi. In Mississippi, Bishop Shelton served a variety of congregations and ministries. Her presence with us this Sunday serves as a visible reminder of our connection and place within the Conference. We look forward to hearing from Bishop Shelton and sharing with her all that is happening in our congregation.
I am grateful to be a part of St. James and all that God is doing in our midst. We can be proud of being a leader within our Conference and becoming known as a community of faith. Thank you for the chance to serve as your pastor and to work together in the work of “following Christ, loving others, and changing the world.”
Pastor Tom