Church Community Connect for Impact
“This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.” But [Jesus] answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.” (Mark 6:35-37)
You are warmly welcome to Kakumba Chapel! In Christ, the old is gone, the new has come: this is the time to live in the newness of life.
Today we explore the community impact of the new life in Christ. The believer is freed from a kind of slavery, a tiring life in the never-satisfying ever-demanding world; the believer is released to the joy and peace in Christ, with assurance of life here and life in eternity. Yet, this is not all; there is a requirement for the believer together with the assembly of fellow believers to impact the community around them in a way that amplifies the voice and work of the LORD. The church is therefore rightly involved in work to feed the hungry, dress the naked, reach the lost, receive strangers, comfort those who mourn, conserve the environment, educate children and youth… impacting the community.
Puzzle: The farmer crossing a river with Wolf, Goat and Potato Vines… Solutions??? Type 1, Type 2 (Is 11:1,6-7)
In our Scripture today, we meet the disciples giving a report after a successful internship; they reported what they had taught and done, and they were tired. Jesus recommended a retreat for rest and recuperation, though it was rudely interrupted by a hungry crowd – hungry both spiritually and physically! They were so hungry that they went a much longer way and arrived before Jesus’ crew who took a short cut! That is how we end up with the story of the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus Christ fed them spiritually with the good teaching, and later pushed his disciples to the wall by asking them to give them something to eat; Jesus, moved with compassion, intervened even in this time of physical need and fed them to their full. This was both an action and also a lesson; the disciples should know that the need we are called to address is not just the spiritual, but also the physical, and by so doing create holistic impact.
Bishop’s Charge (BKD):
- Evangelism – Van, PAS, Radio (1)
- Worship – Music, Liturgy, Deliverance (2)
- Education, Ministerial Formation, Children, Youth (3,4,5,6
- Men and Women, Health (7,8)
- Proprty Management and Devt – Land, Environment, Buildings (9,10,11, 12)
- Clergy Welfare
In the recently concluded Provincial Assembly, topics discussed included education, health, stewardship of property and environment. The Archbishop encouraged delegates to play an active role in tree planting at Baptism, confirmation, weddings and on other important functions; all confirmation candidates must be given a chance to plant a tree – fruit or environmentally friendly tree on Church land or at home to restore natural beauty. The community experiences the fruit of the newness of life when believers are intentional about holistic ministry. May you heart be released to give and support the entire spectrum of what God has called us to do as the Church; even in the kind of scarcity that the disciples described, the Lord Jesus Christ insists and says, “You give them something to eat.” God bless you all.