Greetings!
In the words of the Apostle Paul, “may the God of peace sanctify you completely and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful.”  Here’s the personal word the apostle Paul communicated to those who shared his ministry.  He said, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.  Thankful for your partnership in the gospel.  Thankful for the first day until now.”
Whenever there is a change or transition in our lives, we begin to look forward and at the same time, we instinctively look back on all that has been part of our lives.  We are more than partners, we are family and friends.  As we start this new beginning together and on a charge with Central Terrace UMC in Winston-Salem, I want you to know how much you mean to me.  I will be preaching at both Central Terrace and Oak Grove each Sunday. Committees from both churches are working together to establish a schedule to accommodate the needs of both congregations, but a shift in our service time in imminent.  Most likely, the worship service at Central Terrace will be 9:30 or 9:45 am, and the service at Oak Grove will be at 11:15 am.  we start this new beginning together and on a charge with Central Terrace UMC in Winston-Salem, I want you to know how much you and Central Terrace mean to me.
As we start this journey of a New Beginning, how do we prove what is righteousness?  We must live as the Jesus of the scripture taught by not manipulating a personal theology to justify our personal issues.  We will not prove what is excellent and or bear the fruit of righteousness by reshaping Jesus into a theology that justifies our personal interest or cause.  We need to begin to see Jesus Christ crucified and risen as the Lord of the church and the center of the church’s faith.  Only by Christ’s presence and power, love and law, grace and governance will Central Terrace live and increase in faith and faithfulness, letting love be real and being devoted to one another in love, abhorring what is evil and clinging to what is good, being patient in troubles and praying for one another, and living in harmony and unity with one another.  
We have much work to do if we are to abound in love and found blameless and righteous.  A new beginning offers us the opportunity to work together to help build God’s kingdom.  Let us pray the Holy Spirit will fill our hearts to be faithful and kindle in us the fire of love.
Peace,
Bob

Email:  rsummers@wnccumc.net