By Rev. Joe Zarro, Interim Senior Minister
On October 19, I kicked off our Stewardship Season with a sermon on Teamwork – how we are all part of the body of Christ, that we have different gifts and abilities, and it’s only when we come together, and practice our faith in community, that we are whole (1 Corinthians 12). I need this church – not only as a pastor dependent on the church for my livelihood – but as a Christian who cannot practice his faith alone. You don’t have to be a member of a church to be a “true” Christian, but you do need to be part of a community – you must serve others and rely on the gifts and grace of others as well. You need a team.
But what about the goal? Teamwork is a great metaphor, but in Christianity there is no “winning.” We may try to give ourselves a scorecard – worship attendance, church school registrations, number of baptisms, size of the budget – but these are our way of counting success, not God’s. The Great Commandment is to love God and love your neighbor, and love is not a competition.
But we do have a “goal.” We have a shared vision and purpose: Faithfulness. Faithfulness is not easily defined, Our mission statement is one articulation of what faithfulness together looks like. The mission statement says, “The Barrington Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, is a Christian community that worships God, embraces all people, ministers to one another, works for justice and peace, and renders loving service to God’s world.” This shared vision of worship, inclusion, service and social justice is the goal our team seeks to achieve.
I want you to consider the part you play in this goal, and what faithfulness looks like for you, especially as a part of a larger team. Our stewardship season is about more than asking for money and volunteers. It’s about coming together as one team for that one goal of faithfulness to God.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Joe