Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to participate in our Church Council’s annual leadership retreat. This retreat was an opportunity to step back, look at the big picture, and think about how God is leading our church into the future.
A key focus of our time together was our church’s Strategic Plan—making sure our work aligns with the vision and goals it lays out. As someone new to Williamsburg UMC, it was a wonderful learning experience for me. I was deeply impressed by the talent, wisdom, and faithfulness on our Church Council, as well as the prayerful thought that went into creating this plan. This church is truly blessed with incredible Christ-centered leaders.
One of the central pieces of the Strategic Plan is the set of core values meant to guide and shape our ministry:
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Christ-Centered – the unshakeable and unifying source of our faith and hope
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Compassionate – the saving grace offered in Jesus Christ extended to all people
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Just – we act with integrity and do no harm to each other and the world in which we live
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Diverse – a true reflection of the all-encompassing nature of the Kingdom of God
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Committed – our relationship with God is an ongoing, lifelong process of learning, renewal, and growth
These values paint a picture of the church God is building—the church we are seeking to be and long to become. It’s a hopeful vision for the future of Williamsburg UMC, one that will take work for us to fully embrace.
The church has also set clear goals to help turn these values from words on a page into a lived reality. Among them is a commitment to “Build a diverse, multicultural, intergenerational congregation that reflects the diversity of the Greater Williamsburg community and beyond,” along with the goal of offering “at least one additional worship service to meet the needs of people not currently attending WUMC.”
So, what does that mean for us?
Well, at the very least, it means that we might have to get a little uncomfortable. We will definitely have to try new things. We will probably have to be open to new expressions of church - and to sharing space with people who may see the world (and the church) differently than we do. Embracing the beautiful diversity God has created sometimes requires us to let go of our preferences and try things we’ve never done before. Those moments can be challenging, but they are also filled with possibility—the chance to share the love, mercy, and grace of God with people we’ve yet to meet and with a world hungry for hope.
This church is already joining in God’s work in powerful ways, and we have exciting opportunities ahead to grow and embody God’s grace in new and meaningful ways in the years to come. As we take our next faithful steps to share the love of Jesus with a world that desperately needs it — we will need to be open to trying new things and “being church” in new ways while holding on to the rich heritage that makes this church such a special community of faith.
I’m excited to see what’s next for Williamsburg United Methodist Church as we walk into the future together. God is at work among us – I can’t wait to discover what God is doing together with you!
