VISION 2020: Red River Cathedral 200

I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.”(I Cor. 3:10-11)

On Sunday we hold our Annual General Meeting. Thanks be to God! Yes, it is a business meeting, for sure, but definitely not a ‘busy-ness’ meeting. We gather because we want to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us, and of what others have passed on to us: Our beautiful and historic cathedral building, and, more importantly, our community of faith built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. He is the only sure foundation, who has brought us through these 194 years. If we “choose with care how to build on” that foundation we will not only celebrate 200 years in 2020, but our descendants will give thanks to God for 300 years of that sure foundation which is Jesus Christ, and the Christian community which can be built only on him.

“Do you (plural) not know that you (plural) are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you (plural)?”  (I Cor. 3:16)

Our future – as our present journey together – rests on the foundation of Christ, knowing that we journey together or not at all. In this verse (I Cor. 3:16) every instance of “you” is in the plural: “YOU TOGETHER are God’s temple”, and again, “God’s Spirit dwells in YOU TOGETHER”.

How do we give thanks for the past? Together.
How do we rejoice in the present? Together.
How do we plan for the future? Together!
How do we “choose with care” in building on the foundation which is Jesus Christ? Together!

“For all things are yours (plural)… and you (plural) belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” (I Cor. 3:21,23)

Wow! Talk about a Gospel word. Talk about the Good News of God’s unfailing love in Jesus Christ. Talk about hope for our future. All things are YOURS TOGETHER! YOU TOGETHER belong to Christ! Christ belongs to God!

So, let’s do that, OK? Let’s talk about the Gospel, shall we? Let’s talk about the Good News, shall we? Let’s talk about our hopeful future, shall we? In morning worship, every Sunday – for sure. In our AGM, today – you bet. In our lives as disciples of the Lord Jesus, every day, most importantly!

Jesus calls us to follow in the Way of the Cross, in the new life which is ours in him. Our AGM is another opportunity, as is our worship always, to be about the business of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After worship, come for lunch, stay for the meeting. See you there… And for each one of you I say,

Thanks be to God!