Pastor’s Corner – September 2018

For [the sacraments] are visible signs and seals of an inward and invisible thing, by means whereof God worketh in us by the power of the Holy Ghost.
– Belgic Confession Article 33
 

A New Sign…

Have you noticed there’s a new sign on the front of the church? It’s kind of hard to miss. The Session did a great job coming up with the design and McBride Sign manufactured and installed it for us. Last Sunday, the comment I heard most was, “Now people will know where we are!” Without a doubt, it certainly increases our street visibility.
 

…of an Inward and Invisible Thing

But as the Belgic Confession states (which is echoed in most all of the Reformed Confessions, including Westminster), a sign is a visible expression of an inner reality. The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper do not save in and of themselves, but rather point to and provide a visible expression of the salvation that God has brought in our hearts. There is no doubt that this sign is worthwhile and will be useful for helping people in our community know where our church is located. But of far greater value is how we, as a community of faith, live out our faith in our community — the acts of love and service that we perform on a regular, daily basis. The world isn’t transformed by signs, it’s transformed by acts of love and service in the name of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
 

…of Things Yet To Come

There are a lot of great things coming this fall at Northminster. Wonderful and uplifting worship services, community-building fellowship events (like the church picnic!), and opportunities to dig deeply into the Word of God in order to grow as disciples and be equipped for acts of service. Like our logo shows, the Spirit flows out of the Word, and once the Spirit is released, like a bird, it goes everywhere, unhindered. It is our hope and prayer that our time spent at Northminster – whether it be at Circles, Sunday School, Worship, Table Talk, Dinners, Youth Group, or anything else – would equip and empower you to go out and serve others in Jesus’ name. May our lives be a clearer sign of our community of faith than the sign on our wall!
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)
 
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison