Church anniversary is a time for thanking God for the past, the present, and looking to the future. Many churches hold their anniversary near the time when their service or building was first opened. Today we celebrate our church’s 33rd anniversary. We must always remember that ‘church’ in the New Testament means the 'people of God' so it is a time for celebrating the life and witness of all who have gone before us and those who serve today.
The Lord God in his goodness has blessed us with 33 years of mission and ministry at First Evangelical Community Church. We are a remembering people, and it is good that we remember that God has chosen us, baptized us, and brought us together as the Church of Christ in community. As remembering people, we look back at all the saving acts of God: the Creation, the Flood, the Covenant, the Exodus, the Incarnation, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Church. We are a remembering people, but we are also a people of this day, brought together by God to be a holy fellowship of believers: the Body of Christ, sharing, caring, working in the world, and living in the hope of the world to come. Our eyes look back with thanksgiving. Our eyes look at the present with confidence. Our eyes look forward in hope. Therefore, with thanksgiving for the past, strength for today, and hope for the future, let us dedicate ourselves and our lives to the mission which God gives us as His in this place. Let us then offer a prayer of dedication: “Our Father and our God, we praise you for your goodness to our church, giving us blessings far beyond what we deserve. We give you thanks for the work you have done. We give you thanks for your love and faithfulness. When we called on your name, you made your presence known to us. When we prayed, you heard us. When we preached your Word and administered your Sacraments, you were in our midst. You have accepted our humble sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. You have sent your Holy Spirit to heal and comfort our hurts, our sorrows, our infirmities, and our losses. Yet we know all is not right with our church. We deeply need a moral and spiritual renewal to help us meet the many problems we face. Convict us of our sin. Help us to turn to you in repentance and faith. Set our feet on the path of your righteousness and peace. Grant then O Lord, that we may continually grow in the Spirit and in the ministry that you give us as members of your royal priesthood, the priesthood of all believers, so that we may carry out our mission of service and love. Strengthen us as you make us a city set on a hill, a light that cannot be hidden, that others may know of your great love. In Jesus name, Amen” Comments are closed.
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