Dearly Beloved

Dearly Beloved,

I wore a shirt I didn't want to wear last Sunday. 

Because I had the privilege of speaking about vision and missions last Sunday, it felt like a special occasion for me. So I ironed and laid out some clothes days earlier. Sunday mornings begin very early for me and yet somehow often the last moments before getting out the door feel like a scramble and a bit of a mad rush. This Sunday was no different as I raced into my clothes. Until I put on my shirt. 

Funny how it shrunk over Christmas without being washed! 

Sigh. 

I had to change plans.

In that brief moment, I was reminded that I've been thinking for a little while that I'd like to dedicate a stretch of time to better health and fitness. I've also realized that sometimes I spend more time thinking about doing something than actually doing something about it. 

Can anyone out there relate? 

Maybe you've seen the quote out there: 

"Nothing changes if nothing changes"

In our faith and in church life there is an interesting relationship between things that change and things that do not. 

We find security in knowing that God never changes. 
His love and His truth do not change. 
The gospel never changes! 

Yet, outside things like these, our lives and church life actually need to be experiencing ongoing change. 

In Revelation 21.5, God speaks from His throne, saying, "Behold, I am making all things new!" God's heart is to renew our lives and our whole world, and ever since the resurrection of Jesus from the dea,d this work of renewal has commenced. Oh, how we long for the return of Christ so that renewal culminates fully and finally! In the meantime, God's whole renewal movement is all about bringing His change to our lives and world. 

Last Sunday was Vision Sunday, and we introduced some new changes occurring in our church. These changes are happening so that more lives can be changed by Jesus. 

This year, our General Fund has a new name and will be called VISION BUILDERS and Missions is gaining an even further reach and will be called OTHERS & ELSEWHERE. 

Why these changes? 

Fair question. We have been experiencing exciting growth over the last number of years (and we have to wear a new shirt! Lol... ok, not that). Naturally, along with church growth comes complexity; there are more people, more things going on, and more causes. It is truly wonderful! And we want to keep things in our church as simple and clear as can be. 

Updating our language, or shall I say changing our language, allows our giving and internal accounting structures to fit largely into two categories:

VISION BUILDERS — giving that supports CPC

& 

OTHERS & ELSEWHERE — giving that is not for CPC but reaches and helps others who are elsewhere


Vision Builders (general fund) is the main engine that fuels our church's purpose, strategic priorities, and ministries. Giving to Vision Builders provides for things like our Sunday Worship Services, Children & Family Ministries, Youth Ministry, Next Steps, Small Groups & Alpha, Care & Benevolence, Personnel & Operations, and our Building & Property. 

Others & Elsewhere is the result of aligning together the things we support and do that all have this one crucial factor in common: they are not for us, they help us to reach and serve others, elsewhere. As we move into this future together, Others & Elsewhere encompasses three main things that are all about reaching others and elsewhere: Missions, Multiplication, and Major Outreaches. 

If you wonder what we mean by some of this, please pick up a copy of our new Others & Elsewhere Magazine, where we explain and illustrate things for you, or catch up on last Sunday's message here. 

I'm looking forward to preaching a second part to last Sunday's message this coming weekend!

This time I may just try on my shirt a few days earlier.

Pastor Mike