Praying for Your Place: Three Priorities in 2022
Praying for Your Place: Three Priorities in 2022
By Dr. Dock Hollingsworth, senior pastor
Last year, when we tore the calendar page and entered 2021, I preached my first sermon of the year from the Book of Revelation. The sermon title was: Finally! We were celebrating the close of 2020, believing the virus was behind us and that all our focus would be forward. Here we are – first week of 2022 and we will gather for worship this Sunday wearing masks. I’m getting tired of it, but it is still not going to keep me from looking forward.
This coming year is going to bring its own energy despite the masks. There are a few matters that are going to have my focus in 2022, and I hope you will join me in praying for these priorities and throwing yourself into helping realize them:
Vision and Values– At the last quarterly Church in Conference, we voted in a new mission statement and restructured our ministry around our four core values. There is still some confusion about this new statement and how we will deploy our ministry around these values. So, in the first quarter of 2022, we will drill down. I will be preaching a four-part series on the core values and during those same weeks we will spend Wednesday evenings hearing how the church is set up to move these values into helping a hurting world.
Engagement– The new ministry structure is organized so that more church members can find some place to use their gifts. After two years of sitting at home eating Cheetos, it is time for us to all get off the sofa and find some part of the ministry where our gifts are best used. We need to all challenge each other to reconnect, go deeper and find expression for our talents.
Outreach– In the 1950’s, people came to SPdL because we opened on time. Years ago, more people were motivated to find a church where they could belong. That day is over. We are going to need to be active in inviting others. Nearly every Sunday, I leave saying to myself, “Why would every Atlantan not want what we enjoy every Sunday at 11:00?” Current statistics say that 80% of people who are involved in church today first came because someone they already knew and trusted invited them.
Will you join me in praying for these three priorities and will you pray for your place of engagement in 2022? We enjoy a wonderful fellowship that is making a difference in our community and beyond. I can’t wait to see how we improve this marvelous church in 2022.
I love being your pastor,
Dock