During our week of Executive Council meetings, the superintendents, President Gallagher and I shared concerns about how our churches and our pastors were handling the pandemic and the differences of opinions about what to do to protect and serve one another. Many of our pastors have been caught in the middle of these controversies with no way to win because their congregations are split about how the church should respond. We have seen a few pastors decide to leave the ministry because they did not agree with the path their church wanted to go and others just out of frustration. Some of our people has followed alongside the world in an unwillingness to accept the rights of others to have a different opinion. At times this has caused hurt feelings among our church families and this is not how God has called us to live.

In our discussions, the superintendents worked with our staff to write a letter of encouragement to our churches about our ministry as the body of Christ. As Advent Christians, we have focused our purpose and mission, based on the imminent return of Christ, on the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Certainly, as we see our world in its current state of confusion and the signs of the end of this age so clearly being fulfilled, we must focus the ministry with great love and compassion for a world that is sick, hurting and in great need of Christ’s mercy.

In the next week, our churches will be receiving this letter signed by the Executive Council, ACGC staff and the regional superintendents united in our concern for the ministry we have been called to do! The letter is based on our love for the people of God and concern for the lost who need to see and hear the message of hope found only in Jesus Christ. We are asking each church’s leadership to read this letter during their Sunday morning worship service. We must show the world Christ’s love in how we treat one another and love the lost. Our prayer is that this letter will be received with the love and encouragement that we feel for each of you. May God unite us as we glorify him in all that we do!