Hebrews 13 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Romans 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

God Is Constant – We Are Constantly Changing Hebrews 13:8 and Romans 12:1-2

If you are the same person you were 5, 10 or 20 years ago… It would be a sad thing Lessons Discoveries Improvements

There is a bit of confusion God is the same therefore… We must always be the same The church must be the same God is the same… Because God is perfect

Malachi 3 6 “I the L ORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the L ORD Almighty.

1 Samuel 15 Samuel talking to Saul 29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”

Hebrews 13 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

God doesn’t have to change because God is perfect On the other hand We are imperfect and in constant need of change and improvement

Elder Richard Corbaley Met in homes, schools and halls

Hebrews 13 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. Stay with Christ

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Worship and confess Christ Live out your faith

Romans 12 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. God doesn’t need to change But we do!

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought… God first

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Serve to Christ 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Love and seek to act out in love

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Seek joy, patience and prayer 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Resist evil with Christ’s help

Change – be transformed Focus on Christ Stay with Christ Worship and confess Christ Let’s live out our faith Put God first Serve Christ Loving in Christ’s name Seeking Christ through joy and prayer Let’s resist our natural desires toward evil through the power we have in Christ

Notice… No blue print for buildings Worship style Music Particular ministries Leadership or board styles

God is constant We are constantly changing From Rev. Sandy Messick… "We're ready to begin the next phase of keeping things exactly the way they are."

Change is in our DNA In our history In our church Yet we fight change so much We dread it like a storm or a flood

What’s the plan? I don’t know That is the conversation and the journey we must have There will be change

1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years 20 years 30 years 40 years 50 years

We either manage our change Or Change manages us When I was young – I thought to myself… “I am going to be different” We can not escape change

Let me tell you, “We are old!” How do we manage that? Nursing home? Ensure? Fatalistic? Reinvent ourselves?

Our mission is not done There are souls to save People to love Things to learn Journeys to undertake in discovering Christ

125 years and counting Faithfully serving…