Vision

Vision. It’s an important aspect of leadership. The author John Maxwell states that "leaders must bring their vision and the aspirations of the people they lead together in a way that benefits everyone."

During this past weekend’s services, Pastor Henry shared the next vision for Edgemont that he and the leaders discussed during the leadership retreat this past Saturday. First, it starts with the lesser mustard seed parable, Matthew 13:31-32.

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Edgemont UMC is committed to being a community of believers where all people can come and rest in God’s love. We see ourselves as the mustard seed from this parable, which starts out small but grows into a tree where all the birds come to make their nests. Just like the dogwood tree that we see outside of our large sanctuary window every Sunday that provides sanctuary for the cardinals, finches, robins, crows, and hawks that find their way to Edgemont. That means for us, we seek to be a place where all people can come to find rest, to come to find shade, to come and make a home.

So, how do we do that? We believe that we plant this seed of a vision for Edgemont by following the greatest commandments Jesus gives in Matthew 22:37-39, “37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” By loving God and loving others, we grow to be more like Jesus and the Holy Spirit waters the seed as we grow into the tree God has called us to be. Yet, we recognize that we can’t just wait for people to come to us; we have to go to them. We do this by fulfilling the Great Commission: going into the world to make disciples, which for us is a combination of serving in the community in a variety of ways and sharing the good news that God has given each of us as a testimony.

If this vision speaks to you, if this vision excites you, join us in planting this seed.