Taking Up Residence

There is an old story told of an ancient Christian monastery that had fallen on hard times.  Over the years, fewer and fewer men had come to enter the life of a monk, until now, only a handful of very old men inhabited the monastery, and it was in danger shortly of dying out altogether as these last monks finished their lives.

A messenger came one day to the monastery, and told the amazing news of a secret contained within its walls.  The secret was that one of the monks was actually Jesus himself, come to live among them and to walk on earth again.  The news transformed the old monks.  None of them knew exactly who Christ was, but because they didn’t know, they started living differently.  Each man began to pray a little more fervently, to worship a little more faithfully, to study a little more carefully, to treat his fellow monks with more care and love and respect than ever before.

It was not long before the townspeople began to notice a different spirit in the old monastery, and soon there were younger men who found themselves attracted to the love and devotion in the place, and they began to join.  The whole character of the monastery was changed, and it became once again a vital center of prayer and service, of worship and fellowship, of love.  The place was transformed by the knowledge that Christ was alive and real and living in someone there, and indeed, Christ had come to live there, and not just in one man, but in them all.

What happens when Christ takes up residence in the hearts of a whole community of people?  That community becomes an example of how God means for all of his children to live together.  When Christ is present in a church, that church reaches out to the world to tell the good news of Jesus Christ and to demonstrate that good news in acts of loving service.  That church reaches in to nurture and train its members to take their Christian ethics and morality into their homes and their workplace, and that church reaches up to God and seeks God’s renewing power to help it continue to be a place where each of its members learns how to become like Jesus.

Friends, may we allow Jesus to take up residence in our hearts (Romans 8:9a), so that when people see us, they will see Jesus.  And, in seeing Jesus, they will be attracted to Him!

Young Life Banquet

The Young Life Informational and Fundraising Banquet will be held on November 15th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Church on the Hill.  If you are interested in supporting Young Life and would like to attend the banquet, please sign up in the Church Welcome Center or online: https://va37.younglife.events/2022-valley-young-life-banquet Please indicate Arnie and Kathy Doyle as your table hosts.  

Missions Team is active keeping in touch with our missionaries and other ministries.  Please keep updated!  You can visit our website and go to the OutreachCrowned from Brokenness

Crowned from Brokenness

Jake & Deborah Kleinschuster have invited anyone interested to attend this spiritually uplifting event this Saturday, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Rejoicing Life Church in Stuarts Draft.  The featured speaker is Mrs. America’s USA, Michele Duncan!  For more information go to FILE_7210

The Gathering

Please join in praying for persecuted Christians around the world.  THIS Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at Cornerstone Church of Augusta!