“I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Philemon 1:6 NIV
Those glimpsed faith moments of a special presence, a nudge, or a deep knowing of a spiritual truth are very precious, aren’t they? A recent metaphor peeked at me during the children’s anthem at RRCB’s worship service on April 21st. The lyrics sung by young voices in our Carol and Crusader Choirs echoed quiet messages through the beautiful words by Andrew Carter – as if whispered by the Holy Spirit. Remember Butterflies and Moths? “All you butterflies and moths, all you fluttering and flittering and flying creatures, come magnify the Lord.” How I wished some of my friends and family members could have heard those tender messages.
Perhaps you have witnessed similar faith expressions in action throughout RRCB activities, worship services, committee meetings, socials, family moments, and many other situations, including of course those beyond RRCB. Paul, in his Epistle to Philemon, reminds us through Philemon’s love and benevolence that when we share our faith, it helps the “sharer” as well as the “recipients” to have a fuller understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
This “sharing” is at the heart of RRCB’s Glimpses of Faith (GOF) Committee’s ministry. We collect and share stories, music, art, poems, writings and other media which communicate various reflections of faith. As Paul says, we learn and grow in Christ from sharing faith experiences among each other. Right at this moment, for example, there may be someone out there who needs to hear specifically one of your glimpsed faith experiences.
The GOF Committee has the mission and joy to make it easy for you to submit a GOF for sharing with others. You can offer us a handwritten story, a typed or digital one, a photograph, a poem, or just about any other form of communication you wish. One submission, now published, is simply a photo snapshot of a sign with a very appropriate lesson inscribed. Most submissions are just a few paragraphs sharing a spiritual life experience or observation.
If you have difficulty assembling your recalled GOF, you can meet with one of the GOF committee members, who will arrange an interview with you. We will then write your story for your approval. Committee members (in alpha order) are Dan Bagby, Janet Bagby, Gene Damon, Page Highfill, Henry Holland, Eric Johnson, Sheryl Johnson, Julia Nixon, and Bill Stanton.
Your GOF submittal can be e-mailed to GlimpsesofFaith@verizon.net or it can be given to any of the committee members, or dropped off at the Church Office for the committee’s pickup. You can review the current 26 GOF stories in the Glimpses of Faith section online. I hope you will consider submitting one as well. It could become a new and fresh glimpse to help nurture someone else’s growing faith. Thank you.