First Mennonite Church of Paso Robles
June 22, 2025
Text: 1Tessalonians 5:12-24
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
Today, I want to thank each of you for your unwavering commitment to the Lord. Some of you have been members of this congregation for many, many years. You have provided guidance and support throughout the time you have been here. You have given of yourself, your talents, abilities, time, and resources to the service of the Lord and this congregation. We would not be here today if not for God’s faithfulness and your dedication to God’s service. I also want to thank those of you who more recently joined the church. You are the living witness that the Lord continues to work among us, and as a congregation, we are committed to helping you grow in the Lord and in his service.
However, the work of the Lord is not done, and the Lord is not done with us either. He wants us to carry on the calling he has, in his sovereignty, given us as a congregation. There is a purpose he has us here today, at this time in history. We are here with this mission:
Our Mission:
To worship God and to grow in Christ with the purpose of sharing the gospel with everyone, in both words and deeds.
In the past few months, through thoughtful and prayerful consideration, we believe God is renewing his call to us with the goal and vision for the next three years to do the following:
Our Vision 2025-2028:
In the Area of Worship
We will:
Take a moment to pray specifically that we all get to experience the presence of God when we come to the worship service.
Come ready to meet with brothers and sisters. To go around greeting them and just don’t go to your pews if the service has not started.
Open our hearts, first, to the Holy Spirit to move us during the prayer times and when we hear the scriptures, and to one another as we seek to minister to each other according to our needs.
Reflect on what we sing and make of each hymn, either a prayer, praise, or a promise to God or my neighbor.
Be in a worshipful and reverent attitude throughout the service. We want to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit to guide and renew us.
Give ourselves to the service of the Lord through:
Participating in the worship service according to our gifts
Giving generously to the Lord for the ministry of FMC and the upkeep of our property
In the Area of Community Life
We will:
Take time to pray for our brothers’ and sisters’ safety, spiritual well-being, and the wisdom to navigate the world.
Reach out to at least one of our members by phone, text, or mail, just to let him or her know we are thinking of him/her
Make ourselves available if one of our members needs help.
In the area of ministries and activities, please respond as you are led by the Lord and in accordance with the gifts the Lord has given you.
I want to offer myself to lead:
- Group Activities (Ladies, parents with young children, men)
Underline your preference and write your name here, and the number if you would like to lead one of these activities
Name: ____________________________________
- Church special bake day
Name: _________________________________
Special event:
Movie night, brunch, themed dinner,
_________________________________
Day of outing (Picnic, day trip, hike, clean up, day of service, another: ___________________________
Name: ____________________________
In the Area of Outreach and Service
We will:
Be more deliberate in seeking ways to share the Good News of Jesus and his love.
Offer to pray for the people who share with us about their needs or personal situations
Invite a friend to a church activity, not necessarily to the worship service, but to a meal, movie night, bake, or outdoor event. This is to establish connections with other members of the church.
Explore the possibility of connecting the preschool families with the church for a bi-annual children’s activity in the church, coupled with a fellowship meal after the event.
Write your name here if you are willing to spearhead this possibility: _____________________________
Put out a “word” through a mail delivery service for a given time, presenting who we are and what we do.
Devote time to prayer for the salvation of loved ones, friends, and all who need the Lord’s salvation.
Conclusion
Psalm 143, verse 10 says, Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. The Lord is teaching us and revealing to us what we must do. The Lord is calling us and reminding us: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Let us trust in the Lord that he is with us. He is leading the way for us, and we want to follow.
Pastor Romero