A Great Big Beautiful World

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. -1 Corinthians 12:12

A group of virtual campers and guides spent this past week exploring God's Great Big Beautiful World. When it came to Vacation Bible Camp this year, the Christian Education Team faced the many challenges that churches, schools, restaurants, and every other institution faced in the midst of COVID-19. Do we host a VBC? How could we do it safely? In the end, we did what the church has always done. We followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit and leveraged the resources available to us to spread the Good News! We adapted, adopted, and did our best, knowing that whenever we do our part, God will be at work.

The at-home activities and online community we created this week exemplify the work of the church. We gathered in our separate homes, checked into Facebook at different times, and adapted the at-home activities to meet our needs and circumstances. We experienced the unity we have in Christ in diverse ways, each unique to our personal circumstances. The church has, and always will adapt to meet the challenges and needs of the world. The early church in Corinth, Ephesus, Jerusalem and elsewhere adapted, adopted, and did their best. Resources were often scarce and governmental persecution was a reality at times. Like early church councils, our committees, Sessions, Presbyteries, and Synods come together to discern the diverse voices of the church and God's will.

Today's church faces many challenges and has many opportunities, and FPCV is no exception. Just like the early church, today's church is a beautiful collection of God's diverse people, who are the body of Christ. The church, then and today, is sustained by the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit: redeemed, reconciled, and unified in Christ Jesus.

Thank you for being the people God created you to be! Thank you for being a diverse collection of God's faithful people who gather together in a variety of places - sometimes together, sometimes together virtually. Thank you for rising to the challenges and responding to the opportunities! Thank you for being the church!

Together, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, FPCV will continue to be a light unto the world!

Peace,

Ken