“So you see that a sabbath rest is left open for God’s people. The one who entered God’s rest also rested from his works, just as God rested from his own.“
– Hebrews 4:9-10 (Common English Bible)
Beloved,
In has been an eventful and life-giving year in ministry at Inglewood First UMC. When I was appointed to pastor this congregation over two-years ago, I could not foresee the journey and vision for ministry that God had in store. Over the last two years, we have “re-introduced” ourselves to the community, testifying to God’s work in us. We have a vibrant and intergenerational weekly worship experience, the Virginia Beckett Food Pantry and Take Heart Ministry with Homeless Women lead in serving the most vulnerable in our community, we have an active unit of United Methodist Women and we are a base for community groups including the Tungsten Proteges Male Mentoring program and L.A. Voice , helping to win the fight for rent control in Inglewood. God is doing great things for us and with us!
With the victories this year, we have also experienced our challenges, specifically working through deferred maintenance and needed security on the facilities, the loss of our charter school as our primary tenant and finding creative means of generating income. Our staff and church leaders have worked “overtime,” rising to the challenge and we are grateful to God for the sacrifices all have made.
As pastor, the care of the congregation and community and community is central. We all face stresses and pressures that can “take us out” and if we are to truly care for the souls of all God’s children then, with the burdens we carry, we cannot lose sight of the biblical call to rest. As we sing throughout the year, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”
Last Sunday, I shared with the church council my personal need for rest, but also the need for all of our staff and leadership. In prayerful response, to fulfill our biblical call from God for sabbath and rest (Hebrews 4:9-10), our Church Council voted by consensus to close the church office Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day. It has been a challenging year for all of us and in order to recover and rest for the new year, we discerned God’s direction for the whole church to take a Selah, or a pause to breathe in new life for the coming year. To ensure a sabbath rest period for all leaders and staff, we will not hold a worship service on Sunday, December 29.
The idea for a “Selah Week” was inspired from two places. First, for the first Sunday of Advent, Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, Senior Pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Washington, DC, preached a sermon on God’s call for rest and renewal titled “Selah”. In this message, Dr. Wesley reminds us that “taking time to rest is a biblical requisite for holiness and that busyness … does not honor God.” While navigating major financial challenges and hurdles, we have had a fruitful year in ministry at Inglewood First UMC . God’s call to Selah is not to stay busy, but to re-create through rest. Thus, the Church Council prayerfully discerned the need for the pastor, church office and staff to take a week for “selah.”
Secondly, one of our sister churches in the area, Los Angeles First UMC, practices “Sabbath Sundays” once a quarter to allow for rest, recovery and recharge for the pastor and church leadership. Much work goes into preparing, organizing and leading worship every Sunday and they discerned this as one way to tend to the souls of leaders in ministry.
In this “Selah Week” take special time to love God and one another. If you need a worshipping community on Sunday, December 29, there are sister churches in the area to be in community with! Churches we’ve partnered with throughout the year like First Presbyterian Church of Inglewood, Holy Faith Episcopal Church and Saint Mark United Methodist Church come to mind!
God is giving us the gift of rest. Pray for the church. Pray for one another and we will worship together again on Sunday, January 5 at 10:00 am!
With peace, hope, joy and love,
Rev. Victor Cyrus-Franklin
Lead Pastor
Inglewood First UMC