As some of you may remember, when I first accepted the call to love and lead Immanuel as rector, I kept quoting Tod Bolsinger’s compelling description of the role of the church: “To live up to their [apostolic] name, local churches must be continually moving out, extending themselves into the world, being the missional, witnessing community we were called into being to be.”
At that time, we had not yet even cleared the land for our new building. It only existed in our imagination and in blueprints. Bolsinger’s words inspired me to refer to our building-to-be as our Mission Outpost, keeping alive in our hearts a primary reason for investing our resources in its construction.
Once our building began construction, however, several of you reminded me that the church – both the people and the place – exists to worship God. That led me to call our building a Worship House as well, and brought to mind John Piper’s famous statement, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”
This Sunday, our Worship and Mission are set within the global context. The Anglican Church of North America designates the second-to-last Sunday of Epiphany as “World Mission Sunday,” a day on which we remember that “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:12-13). Our Father desires that his Church invite every person in every people group into the true worship of God through an understanding of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
Paul’s words above to the Romans continue with the question, “And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15). This Sunday Pastor Sallie will briefly preach on the answer to that question, and then we’ll hear from members of our own congregation who are among those who have been sent.
Additionally, our Mission & Outreach Team will set up tables in the Narthex with information about our Mission Partners so you can learn more about our opportunities for participating in God’s mission in our world. (Isn’t it wonderful we have a building – a Mission Outpost and Worship House – in which we can do these things? Thank you, Father! And thank you, Immanuel family, for your continued giving that makes it possible!)
Mission is an overflow of worship, and has worship as its goal. Come join us in both this Sunday.
Your Pastor in Christ,
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