Beloved in Christ,

The Christmas season is upon us once again. My family and I would like to wish you a blessed holiday, full of all the joy and wonder that accompanies this time of year.

If you are like us, you spend at least some time during the holidays reflecting on the significance of the season. What ideas come to mind as you consider Christmas? Memorable gatherings with family and loved ones, perhaps? Christmas carols present around a beautifully decorated tree, long-awaited festivities, and the delicious smells and tastes familiar to the time of year. 

There is a wealth of things that represent the season. As Christians, we think of the Luke 2 account, with the shepherds, the lowly stable, and the manger. We remember that “Immanuel”-God with us-was born because God so loved us that He came to dwell among us, taking on the form of a man so that we might be able to touch Him, hear Him, see Him, and know Him. God gave His own Son so that we could know the joy of God in our everyday life.

Our task is to share the Gospel message year-round. Christmas offers the opportunity to grab the attention of those who rarely think of God and help them realize God’s love for them in their day-to-day life. It is a task that takes time and resources. 

We stand at a milestone in the life of this church. We are barely into a full year as a newly chartered Global Methodist church. A great deal of hard work and sacrificial giving went into making us what we are today. We continue to prosper from the work of those who came before. They planted the vineyard we eat from today. Can you imagine the faith, determination, and fortitude of those who built the first church building on this spot?

God blesses us to inhabit this stately matron we call the First Methodist Church of Azle. The simple, yet ample architecture describes the personality of the church. FMCA triumphantly proclaims a simple determination to endure whatever may come. 

Yet, time has a way of changing things, doesn’t it? Azle is becoming a bustling suburban community–a byway to the outer housing tracts of so many hurried laborers and professionals. Their needs are varied and great. How must we prepare ourselves to share God’s message rightly with a new generation?

In many conversations and discussions throughout the leadership of FMCA, it is apparent we must invest in the future to see a good harvest. We could persevere as we are and ‘go along to get along’--meeting our needs as they arise–or–we can hear the clarion call and build for the future by establishing solid patterns for education, increasing staff levels to accommodate growth, and adjust the physical space to allow for what will be.

We are casting a vision that we would “Grow with Azle.” This is a vision of FMCA gaining in leaps and bounds as roads expand, as houses and schools are built, and as people thrive in this place. This is a vision for all of us to embrace.

Our projected budget for the coming year is necessarily ambitious. We believe it is not out of reach. However, it does require each of us to consistently support the church financially, share the Gospel, and work to create disciples. Various teams (SPR, Finance, Admin. Board, and Staff) considered the pledge commitments made, accounted as possible for ‘uncommitted’ giving, measured all the necessary expenditures, developed a plan for optimized staff (numbers, tasks, and expectations), and have prayerfully approved a larger operating budget than previous years. Our budget for 2025 is considerably more than 2024. We do not take this step casually–but with a full sense of the LORD leading us into the future. We all recognize a budget requires consistent review and adaptation, as necessary.

We have a lot in front of us as we consider the future of FMCA. We are like those founding families who laid the first bricks and had much work before them. Like them, it will require courage to be the church of Jesus Christ at a time when the world might wish we would stop trying. The world would rather we stand still and experience the terror of inability. 

But we are called by God to teach, heal, evangelize, set people free, and empower them to do the same for others. We are here to continue the work of Christ. We are exactly where we need to be. The time is right. 

I ask each of you to continue to help in any way you can. Our church is vital to this community. Many notice the blessings we help pour out. We seek to offer God’s love and train others to do the same. We offer sanctuary, a place for quiet reflection, and a place for exuberant joy! I encourage you to make an additional offering to the church – beyond your weekly contribution. Please also consider if your regular giving can increase or if you can establish a legacy gift. 

Together we can look to the New Year as a fresh start, a reawakening of our lives and the life of our church. Let us come together and give witness to the Lord who has given us everything.

We pray for His richest blessings on you this season.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Pastor Ray Gilman