If I asked you to describe Unity Presbyterian Church, what kind of words would you use?
I bet I can guess a couple of them.
Warm.
Friendly.
Supportive Community.
I recently asked the session and staff of Unity to dig a bit deeper. I did not want them to simply describe Unity, I wanted them to discuss the purpose of Unity.
What is the purpose of our church?
There are many possible answers to that question.
Unity exists to share God’s love with the community. We support one another through good times and bad. We acts as the hands and feet of Christ through our missions and outreach. We gather (sometimes virtually!) in corporate worship and praise of God.
All of these things are true. They are part of the reason that Unity exists.
However, I want to offer six more expressions of Unity’s purpose.
During my own Bible study and prayer, I found myself strongly resonating with these six descriptions. They are not all-encompassing by any means. But they are worth spending time praying over.
Unity is a community of people who seek to…
Dream Big
All glory to God, who is able, through God’s mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or imagine.
-Ephesians 3:20
Transform the World
The Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it…
-Matthew 24:14
Continue Jesus’s Work
God did this to equip all God’s people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the church, the body of Christ.
-Ephesians 4:12
Embrace The Mystery
The mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory.
-Colossians 1:27
Be Known By Love
This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
-John 13:35
Seek Justice
Learn to do right, seek justice, correct the oppressor, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”
-Isaiah 1:17
Over the next six weeks I will be writing about these six characteristics— one per week. I hope that we, as the people of Unity, will explore how God is working through each of these six areas.
We’ll begin next week with the first characteristic: Unity is a community that dreams big.
Begin to consider the ways that God has used this church to do more than you believed possible. What ways has God accomplished infinitely more than we might have asked or imagined? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to e-mail me at david@unitypres.org.
This Sunday we will continuing our Experiencing God series. We will also have a virtual Blessing of the Backpacks as we pray for students and teachers as they begin a new school year. And if that weren’t enough, we’re going to give you a virtual tour of the newly decorated church manse!
“See” you on Sunday!
-Pastor David
