The Lord is good to us! He knows what we need before we ask and provides beyond our expectations. This past month, we gathered for our second Annual Conference, and God’s hand was evident. One of the joys for me was the interest in the sacraments. Bishop Webb spoke about the Global Methodist view of sacraments. In a world that pulls us in so many directions, it is wonderful to be with people who want to focus on the grace of God, the saving work of our Savior, and the indwelling presence of the Spirit. God’s grace is manifest in the sacraments!
I rejoice first that the sacraments are available to all people. No one is excluded from receiving baptism or the Lord’s Supper. God longs for the intimacy provided by his grace through these acts. He wants us to taste and see that he is good.
I rejoice that he trusts us to administer the sacraments not only with sincerity but with understanding. In the everyday press of life with its thousands of demands screaming for our attention, God provides the church, a place where we gather at a table and remember that we are cared for by a loving Savior. We bring our children, or we bring ourselves to the font or pool to acknowledge and pledge ourselves to the new life Jesus provides. God’s church ensures that those who serve us understand what they are doing.
I am grateful that provision is made so that no one is excluded from the sacraments. We do not hold to something magical in ordination so that only those with a certain title or degree can offer the sacraments. The Global Methodist Church makes sure that, whatever the title or degree of the person offering the sacraments, they have been instructed in the meaning and the means of the sacraments.
We are reminded that we serve each other as we serve Christ. Pastors share their time with other parishes to support people who may not have someone instructed in the sacraments in their local church. It is our joy that every person who worships in a Global Methodist Church knows that our strength is in the unity of the body, and the body is bigger than our local church. When we are asked to bless the elements, participate in baptism, those who have been instructed in the sacraments answer with a resounding yes!
Taste and see that the Lord is good! God provides!
