Photo by Regina Roberts A children's choir opens worship on Tuesday.

Photo by Regina Roberts The Conference Choir also sings for worship.

Photo by Regina Roberts Tuesday preacher Tim Harvey has been named the new chair of the General Board.

Photo by Regina Roberts Worship included moments of prayer in small groups.

When Shame Meets Grace: The Gospel According to Jesus
Matthew 28:18-20, John 4:4-30
Preacher: Tim Harvey

Worship service invites Brethren to dream big
As he opened his message Tim Harvey, the new chair of the General Board and pastor of Central Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va., called to mind the factors that led to the opening of Central Church in 1925. One of them was the realization that the congregation currently planted in Roanoke had already lost more members than met there on Sunday. This told the church planters that there was plenty of work to be done and plenty of workers for the job.

Harvey challenged a denomination which has experienced a great deal of declining membership to realize that there are in this day also plenty of Brethren available, and more needs than can be met. He shared the dream of the General Board’s Executive Team, which came to life after the group had traveled through the areas served by Brethren Disaster Ministries.

Having been told by one woman in Louisiana whose home had been rebuilt, “Now everyone will know about the Church of the Brethren!” he challenged his listeners to be prepared not only to provide relief in stricken regions but to plant churches as well. He invited those who want to share their many dreams for the church’s 300th anniversary to dream of of “300s”: 300 homes rebuilt, 300 refugees resettled, 100,000 Brethren giving $300 dollars each. He invited Brethren to write to the General Board to share their dreams, contact Tim Harvey at 300dreams_gb@brethren.org.

Harvey’s sermon focused on the story of the woman at the well, who met the offers of Jesus with a series of “Yes, buts…” to explain why his mission would not work. Harvey insisted that the grace and compassion of Jesus were more than enough for the shame and sin that had sundered her from others. “As it was for Jesus so it must be for us!”

Calling on those present to see every opportunity to work for peace and justice as an opportunity for evangelism, he said, “I want to invite you into our dream,” and closed the service with an invitation for all present to pray together.

--Frank Ramirez

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