Grace and peace to you.
We were blessed and challenged by the powerful message preached by Reverend Renee Eubanks from the book of Amos. One truth continues to resonate: outward success does not necessarily reflect inward faithfulness. We can look successful, sound successful, and even appear spiritually successful while neglecting the things that matter to God.
Our worship and the lives we live should tell the same story. What we proclaim on Sunday should be visible in how we treat people on Monday. Our praise should be connected to our practice. Our prayers should influence our actions. We are called to embrace a way of life that shapes justice and demonstrates love. May we continue examining ourselves and asking whether the lives we live beyond the sanctuary reflect the God we worship within it.
Our Wednesday Night Bible Study will focus on Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23 (NRSVUE) under the theme “What Kind of Soil Are You?” – Hearing, Receiving, and Bearing Fruit. Jesus’ parable invites us to consider more than whether we have heard the Word. The deeper question is: What happens to the Word after we hear it? Let us examine the condition of our spiritual soil and whether God’s Word is taking root deeply enough to produce fruit in our lives.
This Sunday, we will gather for worship at Gilbert Run Park. Come ready to worship, fellowship, and enjoy a great meal together. This is an opportunity for us to experience church beyond the walls of our sanctuary while strengthening the relationships that make us a church family. Invite someone to come and experience New Hope with you.
The sermon theme for the week is “Covering from Behind” from Exodus 14:19–20 (NRSVUE). At the Red Sea, the presence of God moved from before the Israelites and stood behind them, positioning itself between God’s people and what was pursuing them. Sometimes we are so focused on what is ahead that we fail to recognize how God is protecting us from what is behind. There are dangers we never saw, attacks that never reached us, and circumstances that could have overtaken us but God was covering us from behind.
Over the next few weeks, we will also be gathering to discuss and address important matters concerning the life and ministry of New Hope. Your voice and your presence are essential. The work of the church is strengthened when we come together, listen to one another, discern together, and participate in the work God has entrusted to us.
I am also grateful for the opportunity to write an article for Successful Black Parenting magazine. I am sharing this article with you because New Hope has supported me in my journey as a husband, father and pastor. Your love, encouragement, prayers, and compassion are not lost on me. I am grateful for the ways you have extended grace to me and my family while allowing me the privilege of serving as your pastor.
Church, may our worship and our lives tell the same story. May the Word find good soil within us. And as we move forward, never forget that even when we cannot see it, God is covering us from behind.
Let’s keep the charge of the Lord!!!
With love and gratitude,
Reverend Aaron Tinch
Pastor
