Building Relationships in Our Community

From the Pastor’s Heart...

I have been challenged and blessed these last several weeks as I’ve been getting to know more people in the community. The tragedy of the murder of a young African-American man and the subsequent trial and conviction have certainly helped to push along the desire for the Christian community to rally together. It was no coincidence that sparked a meeting that eventually led to the pastors in this community reviving the idled pastors’ organization in this county. The Powhatan Pastors Association is once again meeting and has become active in trying to bring the community together. We would like to accomplish several things. One is that the Christian community could have a sense of unity and work together for a common cause. The second is to sponsor some events to relate the love of Jesus to our community.

It was reported that the unity service event at the High School drew close to 900 people, and I believe it was a good first step in creating some unity among the Christians in the community. Thank you to those at PMC who had a part in that service on Palm Sunday evening. We are hearing stories and getting responses that are certainly workings of God. Stories are coming out about reconciliation that has begun. I’m told there were a few older African-Americans who said they never believed this could happen in this county nor have they ever experienced anything like this before.

We came together to worship God, and one of the fruits of that service was bringing people together and healing relationships.

I was elated that the service wasn’t just a feel good, slap each other on the back kind of service, but that there was demonstration of unity in the body of Christ, regardless of race or color. And above all, we worshiped God!

I was so proud of those of you from PMC who sang in the choir, helped usher and came to the service. It was an awesome God moment.

Greg Beechaum, pastor of Little Zion Baptist Church, shared with us that there were people there from several different counties and from the city of Richmond. Channel 6 reported the unity service as the third most read story on their web site.

I say all that just to observe that there are issues here in our community that need to be addressed. Are we a racist community? No, we are not. But have we been silently ignoring each other as if the African-American community does their “thing” and we do ours? I think we are guilty of passively standing by; at least, I know I am. As a spiritual leader in our fellowship, I repent to you for ignoring our African American brothers and sisters in our community. I’m learning.

I also am so grateful to Ambus Bailey, who pastors Rising Mount Zion in Columbia, Va. As an African-American pastor he has helped me a great deal. Ambus, several other pastors and I have met off and on for the last couple of years praying for our community. We’ve prayed for revival, and we’ve prayed against the evil of racism. Our prayers are being answered.

As the Powhatan Pastors Association continues to plan events, my hope is that PMC can be a part of them to support and encourage other believers and to reach out to unbelievers in our community.

One last thought—If God so loved the world, can the churches together do the same?

Your Pastor, Tim

Powhatan Mennonite Church

Inviting-Building-Equipping

All done with prayer.

For questions or comments you may email the pastor at timbev2@yahoo.com or the webmaster at hffinc@i-c.net