Great News!

Dear Nokesville church family and friends,

“Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective” (James 5:16, NRSV). 

While talking about ministry, someone recently asked me an unexpected question: “What is your disappointment level?” The unusual question prompted me to reflect on how I felt and viewed what was going on in our church. Without much hesitation, I quickly came to the thought that I am more curious and excited to see what God has in store for us than I am disappointed. There have been challenges and obstacles along the way since we regrouped ourselves as Global Methodists three years ago. There’s no denial about that. Yet I am much more excited about and grateful for what God has done for and through us than I am discouraged.

Last Monday, the Nominations Committee got together to prayerfully discern potential candidates for the next three years of our church leadership and ministry. We were all in agreement that we should count our blessings for the mature and dedicated people we have in our congregation. I call them “the spiritual special forces” who are willing to go the extra mile for God’s glory and kingdom. When God Almighty, the Commander-in-Chief, has recruited and gathered the Spiritual Spartans here at Nokesville, God must have a special plan and purpose for us. I desire to witness and taste the sweet fruits of our ministries under the mighty movement of the Holy Spirit. 

Great news: We finally and successfully launched the Gainesville Mission Outpost Family yesterday. Praise the Lord. I want to express my gratitude to Natalie and Curt for their hospitality and willing hearts to host our small group at their home. We enjoyed our Christian fellowship (koinonia) as we shared our life journey and prayer concerns. We all know that attending Sunday morning services alone cannot help us get to know each other more dearly. Perhaps, many of us have attended our church for several years, yet there still may be many folks you do not know much about.

A Mission Outpost family will be that special safe space where we will meet our Christian brothers and sisters who desire to journey together, deepen our intimacy with God, and seek to find ways of sharing the joy and love of God with others. Another Mission Outpost family in the Bristow and Nokesville area has been prayerfully prepared to launch. I want to encourage you to come and check us out and be part of our movement. You’re going to love it.

This summer, we’ve been exploring the spiritual disciplines as we desire to go deep in our spiritual walk. Last Sunday, we explored service as the ministry of the towel. You can watch it at Sermons | Nokesville Methodist Church – Bible Teaching in Nokesville VA. This Sunday, August 16, we will explore why we want to confess sins (John 20:22-23, James 5:16). I hope to see you all soon on the Lord’s day. 

Your brother in Christ,