Balance

The life of the church is important to believers. We share the gospel, encourage and comfort each other, and do the things that God planned for us to do before we were born. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed. Sometimes we think that we should do more. I ask that you consider what we are called to do and what we are doing and see if we have some balance (not equality but balance).

We want to reach people and see them in worship, education, and fellowship activities, but we also know that through the ages, God has worked with a remnant. Sometimes we are to grow. Sometimes we are to strengthen what remains. We want to get it right.  We want the right balance. The session is likely the only place where balance is discussed much among leaders.

Let’s do a simple exercise called RAD (Recognize – Analyze – Divide) and see what we already know. You may want to grow the lists in each area. Let’s start with what we recognize.

Worship

Sunday Morning Worship X2

Wednesday Evening Worship (usually 1 time per month)

Summer Singing (1 time per month)

Thanksgiving worship and meal

Christmas worship and meal

Community Services (2 times per year)

CPC Birthday Worship & Fellowship Meal

 

Fellowship

5^th Sunday Meals (currently suspended for 2024)

Summer Singing (1 time per month)

Thanksgiving worship and meal

Christmas worship and meal

One Pot Meal + Activities X2 (sometimes X3)

CPC Birthday Worship & Fellowship Meal

 

Education

Sunday School

Wednesday Evenings (7 Months)

Occasional Bible Studies

Outreach/Evangelism

Walk A Block for Jesus (or other event/activity to reach those beyond our walls)

Hour of Power

Broadcast of services (can be a double-edged sword)

Online Posts – Life of the Church

Wristbands/Gospels/Other giveaway items for any occasion

Food Ministry

Take home supplies to give to Trick or Treaters

 

Reserved for Families (Typically nothing scheduled for the body other than Sunday morning worship)

Resurrection Sunday

Mothers’ Day

Father’s Day

Christmas Day

Days/Times Unique to  a specific family/families

 

Other Activities

Meetings

Committee/Commission Work

 

Worldly Competitors – Not saying these are good, bad, or ugly, but they are competitors for our time and energy.

Youth Sports (Traditional boundaries of Sunday and Wednesday are nearly eviscerated).

Travel (We are a very mobile society)

Livelihood (You don’t work. You don’t eat or make the car payment)

  

Other Areas of Consideration

Salvation belongs to the Lord, but these belong to us:

Worship

Evangelism

Discipleship

Education

Fellowship

 

CPC uniqueness

Known for our grace

Connectional (among judicatories, generations, and institutions)

Connectional (among members. Campers, Presbytery meetings, Youth Retreats, and General Assembly help with connections)

 

Balance in the Body of Christ

 

We are commissioned to take the good news to the world. The subordinate missions are to make disciples, baptize, and teach the words of our Master. We are the body of Christ. We are letters and ambassadors from Christ. We are a family of faith.

·       We as believers are charged to put the words of Jesus into practice.

·       We are challenged to take his yoke and learn from him.

·       We witness to the lost.

·       We testify among believers. Sometimes, our testimony and witness use the same words.

·       We are to be good examples for others, salt and light in the world.

·       We carry our own loads and help those who need help with theirs.

·       We fellowship with one another.

·       We grow in God’s grace as individuals and as the body of Christ.

Our comfort zone is labeled Growing.

We as the session in our role as the spiritual leaders of this body must be aware of our balance in doing so many things, with so many others not listed.

Too much evangelism (if there is such a thing) at the expense of education and discipleship gives people the illusion that they have reached the finish line when our race of faith has only begun. Real and abundant life is just beginning.

Too much teaching and training at the expense of fellowship detracts from the assurance that we know as believers. We must always encourage one another, pray with and for each other, and just enjoy being family.

That doesn’t mean that we divide up what we do evenly. It means that we who have been called to this special form of ordained service observe, discuss, and take action when needed if we think we are a little out of kilter.

We are the keepers of the balance keys.  That said: Unto everything, there is a season…

There will be times for surges. Evangelism should be ongoing, but often it gravitates to events (Day at the Park, VBS, Backpack Ministry).

Fellowship should be continuous, but what once came naturally, is now challenged more than ever by the demands of the world. What do we do?

Discipleship and Christian education take us to and through difficult topics and issues if we are up to really hearing what God is saying to us.  Making disciples will cause friction with the world. If you haven’t read your Bibler lately, that’s a good thing.

As we do our best in our positions which God has called us to and to which we have answered the call, realize this. You are not here by accident. God knew exactly what he was doing when he put you here. Surrender to God’s leading. Put the gifts and talents that God gave you to work now. Produce good fruit.

What will that fruit look like?

·       Reaching more people with the good news.

·       Choosing wisdom over sentiment and jumping on the world’s bandwagon.

·       Helping those who truly need help.

·       Speaking the truth in love (not judgmental condemnation) not only to help those to whom we speak, but as a sign of our maturity in Christ.

·       Discipling a new believer by walking with them as we follow Christ together.

·       Enjoying doing what God leads us to do and enjoying each other in the process.

·       Living less as an organization and more as a family.

·       Trusting God over our own understanding more and more.

·       Being known as a follower of Jesus by our love.

Surely there are others that come to mind. Sometimes, the proof is in the pudding, aka, we know we are balanced when we are producing fruit by reaching the lost and enjoying the fellowship of the body while we do it.

Sometimes, we see where we should be producing fruit but we are not. Do we try another way? Do we continue with what we are doing but fertilize a little more and give something more attention?

Please think, pray, and meditate upon these statements, some of which may be provocative.

Remember, that group thinking is improved many times over if preceded by individual thinking, and such thinking can help avoid the trap of groupthink. Remember that acceptance time takes time. That is, when you hear someone else’s idea and it’s just different, your first tendency is to reject it. If we give our minds some acceptance time, we might see value where we only saw difference before.

So do your individual thinking, Put this balance thing into your prayer life. Give the Spirit that lives within you a chance to speak to you. Let’s discuss balance at our July meeting.

 

Dates for Planning Purposes

Note:  All dates are subject to change. 

 2025

      19 Sep – Memorial Service for Heather Spence (10 am)

19 Sep – 5^th Quarter

      21 Sep – Bless the Search Committee

21 Sep – Presbytery Confirmation Brief (Session+ Key Personnel)

27 Sep – Host RRP

15 Oct – No F4 (Fall Break) 

  6 Nov – Feed the Players

16 Nov – Thanksgiving Service and Meal (6 pm) – Team 3

23 Nov – Community Thanksgiving Service (DC FBC)

27 Nov – Spence use of FH

14 Dec – Congregational Meeting (To elect 2 elders)

14 Dec – Christmas Worship and Meal (6 pm) – Christmas Team

21 Dec – Tom’s last Sunday in the Pulpit

21 Dec – Installation of New Elders

 2026

   7 Jan – F4 Kick Off

  8 Feb – CPC Birthday Sunday (4 Feb 1810)

18 Feb – Ash Wednesday

18 Mar – No F4 (Spring Break)

29 Mar – Palm Sunday

  5 Apr – Resurrection Sunday

18 Apr – RRP (Lifeline Church) – Ft Worth

29 Apr – F4 Finale

24 May – Pentecost Sunday

31 May – 5^th Sunday Fellowship Meal (team 3/4)

14-19 Jun – General Assembly (Rogers, AR)

5-11 Jul – CPYC (@ Bethel Univ) – McKenzie TN

12-17 Jul – RRP Camp

  8 Aug – Elder Retreat

 2027

 4-9 Jul CPYC (@ Bethel Univ) – McKenzie TN

 2028

 24-27 Jul – Triennium

  

Pulpit Supply Plan CY 25

 31 Aug 25

7 Sep 25 

   7 Dec 25

28 Dec 25

 

 

Link to 5th Sunday listing.