March
06
Author
Graham Pyman
Purpose

Seventh Article - Purpose
This article is part of a series looking at some of the areas which we feel God stirring us to grow in over the course of 2024. 


The first six areas we looked at were Passion, Presence, Power, People, place and plants, you can read all articles in the series here: https://jubd.uk/t7v2bG 


Purpose 


So we’ve reached our final P - Purpose.


What is our purpose? What are we about? 


Well hopefully, everything we’ve said so far, helps to answer that question but let me add a couple of things at this point that we haven’t covered so far…


LoveDerby
Let’s be clear, LoveDerby is one of the ways we are seeking to fulfil the vision that God has given us, it’s not an end in itself! 


This isn’t a bolt on, an addition, it’s not just something that’s good to do every few months! It’s a central part of who we are and how we feel God is leading us to fulfil the vision he gave us. 


The idea of taking some of our Sundays and instead of gathering centrally, actively loving, caring, reaching, serving and blessing our city may be a radical one. BUT it shouldn’t just be something that happens on Sunday mornings. In fact there are already opportunities to do this at other times, such as taking services at the Middleton Lodge Care Home in Littleover.


LoveDerby is not just an added extra to who we are, something for the ‘keenies’ it IS who we are! We are called to be those who love, who care, who reach, who serve, who bless! It’s who we are! 


So can I encourage you to get involved this year with LoveDerby. We have some great project opportunities lined up, and others will follow through the year. 


It’s an opportunity to put our faith into action, to do something tangible that demonstrates God’s love in a really practical way. You can find out about our this years dates for LoveDerby on the LoveDerby page of our website: lovederby.org


In reality all of these points and everything we’ve shared over this series of articles points here: that the earth may be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of God…


That’s from Habakkuk 2:


Habakkuk 2:14 (NIV)
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.


Our purpose is Biblical - that the earth may be filled with the Glory of God - we’re not making something else up! 


Whilst we’ve got a vision statement, and we’ve got some priorities and values to shape us, we’ve even got this list of 7 things that we’ve shared they all come back to this: 


One Day, this statement will be true


One Day, the earth WILL be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God


But we’re not there yet and that’s why we are seeking to play our part in getting there.


This ties in so wonderfully with what Sandra prayed out from Isaiah 6: “Here am I, send me…” to take the message of Jesus into our broken world. 


You can watch / listen to that here: https://jubd.uk/0kvDRD 


To sum up this series of articles, let me finish with a question… Lucy in her preach “Unique Gifts, United Church” ( https://jubd.uk/u42AzP ) said: “there is the extra-ordinary in the everyday”. 


I love this phrase, but I wonder, what is your extra-ordinary part to play? 


How can we help you fulfil YOUR vision? What is God calling you to in fulfilling OUR vision? What’s the part you can play? 


How can you fulfil what God has got for you, as well as what God has got for us together?


So often, these things dovetail together, so what is your part to play? Each of us has something we can contribute, each of us has something we can share. That’s the point which Lucy was making and it’s so relevant to this series of articles too! 


So let me ask that again - what is your part? What’s your contribution? What has God got for you? 


If you’re not sure, that’s one more thing to pray about this year!


© Graham Pyman 2024
Jubilee Church Derby, Sunday 21st January 2024 
Adapted into articles by David Ash, Thursday 1st February 2024
 
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