Not surprisingly, politics have been on my mind of late, especially as I think and pray through what it looks like for our Immanuel family to live and love faithfully in these days. This week I’ve been pondering these words from author and journalist Bonnie Kristian: I don’t have an easy answer for what faithfulness looks like in our increasingly consuming political context. I try to remember that seeking power is not what it means to follow Jesus, and that no politician, party, flag, or nation can be the source of my hope or the recipient of my allegiance. Jesus is Lord, so Caesar is not, no matter how much I might like his platform. Temporal politics…are deeply important and often literal matters of life and death. But they pale in comparison to Jesus, and they should pale in comparison to the work of the church, too. I’m convinced that regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election, the work of Immanuel remains the same: “We proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ for the transformation of lives and renewal of our community.” As I continue seeking to understand the DNA of Immanuel, one of our members sent me the above mission statement, and it remains an excellent guide for our hearts in the midst of other voices clamoring for attention. My desire is that we continue exploring ways to live this mission in specific, local ways. The prayerwalking of the past six weeks, and the weeks to come, is essential to this exploration—merging our hearts with the Father’s heart, discovering his purposes for our neighbors and communities, allowing the Spirit to confirm or redirect our current work, and to awaken new directions for future involvement. This Sunday we’ll hear Matthew tell a story of Jesus standing in the storm of the politics of his day (Matthew 22:18-22). His answer to the insidious question posed by competing political parties amazed his listeners, and it brings clarity to us in the midst of our own storm. As those loyal to Christ, and bearers of his image, how can our words, actions, and resources be given to God in such a way that he is honored, and his Kingdom is advanced in Prince William County, our state, our nation, our world? Let’s answer that question together as the people of Immanuel. Your Pastor in Christ, Travis+ P.S. Remember that we are now able to have up to 70 people attend our worship services at Gray's Event Center. Please sign up to join us in person! Those of you joining us via livestream, it's a gift to know you that you are present in this way. Please take time to contribute to the Comments section just below the video.
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In Prince William County, there are many children that are food insecure. Food insecure is “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food.” In Prince William County, over 19,000 elementary school children qualified for free or reduced-price school lunches. Although these children are provided meals during the week, some do not have access to food on the weekends. We want to ensure these children don’t have to worry where their next meal is coming from by providing children with weekend food bags.
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