Where We're Headed The Remainder of 2018

     One of the things you may have figured out about me is that my life and my ministry are often calendar focused. Let me give you an example. As of August 1, we are only 146 days from Christmas. If you are wondering why I’m mentioning Christmas already, it’s because I try to stay three to six months out on my sermon preparation along with my calendar awareness of upcoming ministry dates and opportunities. In other words, I’m trying to be ready and aware of things down the road for our church here at Salem.
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     Over the next several months, we here at Salem will be needing to get ready for some new things planned down the road. Our District Superintendent, Dr. Quincy Brown, has suggested that our church do a community wide assessment in and around the surrounding area of Salem UMC. One of the main purposes of the assessment is to help understand the needs and desires of our community. This will help us achieve two things. First, it will help us and our church understand what’s going on in our community and how we can develop ideas and ministries in how we can bring hope to those who live and work around our church. And second, it will also help our church go outside the walls of our church so we can begin to get to know who these people really are.
     Using the resources Dr. Brown has given me, we will be talking to some of the people and businesses in our community in order to find out who they are and what types of ideas they have for our community. This will also give us the opportunity to start and build relationships with both of the groups.
     The main focus of the actual assessment will be based on five questions:

• How long have you lived in this community?
• What do you think is the greatest need in this community?
• What are your hopes and dreams for your family?
• What advice can you give a church on how to provide hope to help families deal with today’s pressures?
• How can we pray for you?

     It is from the answers to these questions that the church leadership will pray and seek how we can best minister to our community. There are needs within our community; and for us to be sincere and dedicated to them, we must have a desire and/or skill to meet that particular need. We may be surprised to find that many of the communities’ answers and needs are not the same as ours. This may lead our church into a new direction in how we reach out to others in love and service all in the name of Jesus Christ. Please pray for our church as we prepare to begin this process in bringing others to Salem so they can know of God’s great love and grace for all.

In Christ’s Love and Service,
 
            Dan
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