The 3 R's : Refresh, Renew, Revitalize

Wow! What a day we have had today! I have enjoyed the time to be with family today and to worship at my "home" church -- the church which I had attended before becoming a pastor. Every once in a while, we just need to go home! I'm a firm believer that Homecomings are more than just getting together with folks that you haven't seen for a while. It's a time to refresh, renew and revitalize your perspective!

I am refreshed!! How wonderful to hear a sermon of the caliber of the one I heard today. I am refreshed to know that I have come a long way from where I was a year ago, but also to understand that I have far to go!! What a wonderful sound the choir had! I am refreshed by the music and the words which rang out of the 40+ voice choir. What a rich heritage we have and how wonderful to celebrate the continuing life of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ! I am refreshed by the liturgy that was used and by the richness of the meaning in our confessions, creeds and prayers. What a refreshing day!

I am renewed! During Sunday School and the discussion of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall, my vision for the churches that I serve was renewed! God spoke through the words of this lesson to bring a sense of immediacy and clarity to the vision of what God is ready to do for Devereux Circuit! My vision for our community of faith is renewed! During the service as I watched over 20 teenagers go forward to be blessed for their entrance into the world from the high school academic life -- graduates who will face new challenges and accomplish new goals in the coming years -- I was renewed in my commitment to the education of our youth in the church. As Christians, we are also educators. Certainly, these young people have received the highest quality of education from their respective schools, but they have also received the highest quality of Christian education in their church. This is evidenced by the way they live their lives as young adults, as many will go forth to continue to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through their daily lives in their colleges. I am renewed in my commitment to education in the church and to drawing youth from the community into the church where they can be nurtured and taught about this wonderful Christian life!

I am revitalized! My spirit has a new life and new energy that had started to wane through countless hours of school work and tests and papers. Even seminary education, while rewarding in many ways, can be spiritually draining as the semester ends, usually with a mountain of assignments, papers and exams to be completed in a short period of time. Going "home" to the nurture and care of those who sent me out in the first place is revitalizing. I think my smile muscles got a great workout today as well as my heart muscle! There is nothing quite as revitalizing as the hug of old friends that tell you, "Hey, we're still praying for you and expecting great things of God in your life!" I am also revitalized in my awareness of what God wants to do in my life and in the spiritual life of the churches in Devereux. I may not accomplish all that God wants to do there, but I am revitalized in knowing that I can be part of an ongoing revitalization program in the Devereux Circuit -- one that will carry the churches on into the next decade.

I am refreshed, renewed and revitalized for service! I hope that you are, too, as together, we face the challenges and joys of this adventurous spiritual journey! Let us renew our vision for a bright tomorrow as we take a stand today to work for the building of Christ's kingdom in Sparta!

I am blessed and grateful to be your pastor! See you in church on Sunday!!

Jan McCoy