Thank you for your faithful support of the dreams, mission and ministry and Vision of Rome First. Have you made your commitment to “2020 - A Vision for the Future”, the 2020 ministry funding commitment for Rome First?
In addition to the Commitment for your financial support you are invited to give prayerful consideration to sign up to serve through the host of ministry opportunities that are a part of the ministries of Rome First. Each of us has something different to give! Prayers, Attendance, Time, Talent and Financial Support are just a few of the ways we can use what we have to make a difference in our Community and in the World!
If we all seek to “Do”, what each of us can “do”, we join together in supporting the Mission and Vision of Rome First through our Prayers, Time, Gifts, Service and Witness! Your Church Staff and Ministry Leaders are compiling the ministry budget requests that will eventually become the 2020 Church Budget for Rome First. The budget is an estimate of the cost for the dreams and hopes that you and your church leadership have shared. Who knows how many new ministry opportunities will be added to our ever growing array of Mission and Ministry?
Your faithfulness in making a pledge/commitment and giving to the ministries of Rome First through “2020 – A Vision for the Future” are connected with the Prayers, Talents, Time and Gifts, of all the members of Rome First. Because of your continued faithfulness, we will be able to continue to provide ministries that are changing and will change people’s lives, offering opportunities for hope, and sharing the good news of God’s love! Offering hope, sharing good news and changing lives all have some costs associated with them. Add the cost of maintaining and caring for a facility, and you have a snapshot of the ministry and mission budget at Rome First! God has placed in our hands many wonderful gifts and joined us together to do great things! Will you “DO” what you can “DO” as we strive to use our abilities to multiply the resources that offer people the opportunity to meet together and build relationships that facilitate life change!
You may pick up a “2020 – A Vision for the Future” Commitment Card in the Church office, or you may request one be mailed to you. Please give prayerful consideration to your commitment to the Mission and Ministry of Rome First. Mark your calendar for Sunday, October 20 when we will celebrate our commitment to the future of Rome First through our “Pledge of Commitment” through “A Vision for the Future”! Thank you for your continued faithful support of the mission, ministry and Vision of Rome First – Serve Rome by Loving and Welcoming All as Partners in Transformation!
October is packed with opportunities to worship, serve, connect, share and grow. On Sunday, October 6 the Wilder Center and Sanctuary will be “set” for a grand celebration on World Communion Sunday. We will gather at 11 AM in the Historic Sanctuary of Rome First with two other United Methodist Congregations (Metropolitan and Second Avenue) for ONE SERVICE of praying together, hearing great music provided by the children and youth combined from the three congregations, hearing a tremendous sermon by Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, Bishop of the North Georgia Annual Conference, and sharing the sacrament of Holy Communion together as One Body! As the time of worship concludes in the Sanctuary, the assembled worshippers will make their way to the Wilder Center to enjoy a covered dish lunch and continue in the sharing and fellowship of World Communion Sunday.
Following Lunch in the Wilder Center, everyone is invited to join with members of the Rome Carrollton District at 3:00 PM for a “Celebration of Installation” for The Reverend Dr. Jessica Terrell, District Superintendent of the Rome Carrollton District.
Sunday, October 20 is “Commitment Sunday” at Rome First. We will gather to sing, pray, worship and make our commitments for the support of mission and ministry of Rome First and the related missions and ministries we seek to support and encourage through our gifts of time, talents and financial support. The theme of the 2020 stewardship commitment at Rome First is “2020 – A Vision for the Future”. Commitment Cards are available now and will be available around the church buildings throughout the month of October. You won’t want to miss Sunday, October 20 as we celebrate our commitment to building the Kingdom of God, not with Stones and Glass and Steel and Mortar, but with Love, Grace and a Welcome for ALL.
The common thread of all of these great events and gatherings is that they provide entry points into the “life” of a Christian Community – opportunities for folks to take part in something “larger than us”, and an opportunity to connect in real and meaningful ways that will have a long lasting impact in our world. The mission of United Methodist Churches worldwide is to make Disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of our World. The impact of that mission is ETERNAL, and I can’t think of anything more long lasting than eternity!
As we seek to live into that Mission – we must ask – What can we learn from Wesley’s approach to mission—inviting people on a journey into communion with God and into Christian fellowship while encouraging them to do good, to do no harm, and to use the means of grace?
SERVE ROME opened just over a year ago in a leap of Faith, and may well be the best vital expression of God’s Grace visible for, with and to the community. SERVE ROME has and will continue to provide multiple “points of entry” for folks from all walks of life to enter the premises of Rome First through the SERVE ROME building. The larger question remains, “Are we prepared to model and share the “Promises of God” once folks are on the premises? I pray that we will “live into” our vision of Serving Rome by Inviting and Welcoming ALL as partners in transformation.
So many new opportunities and changes! Change is inevitable and constant, so we must consider how we “deal with” change; do we embrace it with grace or do we resist and “fight against it”? Some will view the changes as milestones and others will view the changes as millstones. Consider the opportunity for change for good in which we are now participating through our SERVE ROME partners. The Exchange Club Family Resource Center and INSPIRITUS help families, children, and at-risk individuals find hope amid hopelessness and connect needs and resources. I cannot think of a better way to transform the World than by offering hope, extending Grace and Sharing the Love of God with God’s People. So, I close with a picture and note from a precious child of God whose life was forever changed because of people who cared and took the time, energy, resources to make a difference.
I hope to see you in worship throughout the Month of October as together we seek to Serve Rome by Inviting and Welcoming ALL as partners in transformation.
Shalom,
Robert
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