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Your casket, will it be beautiful? Or, if you're more of an urn person, what kind of allure may yours have? Do you consume a lot of time daydreaming about their design? Well, probably not. Why is that? Well, because most of us prefer envisioning life rather than fancying our physical resting place. 

Churches must be certain that they're not building a beautiful casket. Churches must be alive. In fact, we are called to flourish! 

Just like people must evaluate their lifestyles and have a doctor monitor what the data in various exams mean in order to be (or become) healthy, churches must as well. Current studies now say that a church must evaluate its' passions, data, purposes and methods every 5-6 years or it begins to enter plateau and eventual decline. This is why our fellowship (PAOC) has begun giving significant attention to the priority of church revitalization (learn more here). 

Transition always has a toll. And our church has had plenty of transition over the past several years, hasn't it? This is why The Vitalization of our Church is one of our five prayer priorities for 2021. 

This year we are evaluating our passions and purposes. We're also inviting others to help take an outside look at our data and listen to the kind of things we're doing and saying so we can address the important matters of health and ensure our future is about flourishing! 

So, would you join me in praying for these kind of urgent priorities?

  • For greater Passion for Jesus in all generations! 
  • For Emotional and Relational Health throughout our church 
  • For Organizational Progress (the evolving and strengthening of systems and structures) so that teams and the ministries God calls us to can thrive 

Imagine us being a people whose eyes glisten with excitement when we're in prayer. A community of people that handle our hurts well and are emotionally and relationally thriving. A people that are regularly baptizing friends and neighbours at parties. Sounds a lot better than just building a beautiful casket!

Maybe you could take 30 seconds right now to close your eyes and talk with Jesus about your vitalization? 

I just did too. 

Pastor Mike