Renewing our commitment to live as God’s covenant people together.

Dear First Family,

I am ready to be in worship with you this weekend as we take part in a Wesley Covenant Renewal Service. This historically meaningful service dates back to the 1700s and was part of the early Methodist movement. The purpose was to share in an annual worship service where they shared together in renewing their commitment to live as God’s covenant people together. That will be the focus of our time together this weekend as well.

Renewing our commitment to live as God’s covenant people together.

All of our service times will remain the same, but they will feel different as we embrace the tradition surrounding the meaning behind the service lead by our pastoral team. I hope that you have made plans to be in worship with us this weekend.

To continue with the momentum of this weekend, I wanted to let you know that our 2023 Confirmation Class is starting on Sunday. Confirmation is one of my favorite things our church does as we take a 10 week faith journey with our 6th grade and older students helping them confirm their faith in Christ. We still have room for your 6th – 12th grader if you have not had a chance to sign up! Simply email students@fmcm.org and they can get you all of the information you need.

Finally, I want to invite you to participate in a congregational wide survey, if you have not done so already. We have had a great response so far, and we want to make sure we hear from as many of you as possible. It should take you less than 15 minutes and we want to hear your insight as we look at how we can grow even more effectively in our mission of Making and Maturing Disciples of Jesus Christ who love God, love others and serve the world. You can take the survey here.

As we prepare to be in worship with one another this week, let us fix our focus on this prayer once more:
Wesley Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but yours.

Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;

put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,

exalted for you, or brought low for you;

let me be full,

let me be empty,

let me have all things,

let me have nothing:

I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things

to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

you are mine and I am yours. So be it.

And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

See you in worship this weekend!

Pastor David