March is Missions Month at First Congregational Church of Marshfield, so I want to devote this Pastor’s Page to a few of the upcoming special Mission events that will be happening this month. First, I’d like to give you some food for thought when it comes to what ‘Mission’ is. At the end of Matthew’s Gospel just before his arrest, Jesus spoke to his disciples about Mission:

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in . . . .Then the righteous will way, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in?’ . . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Here is the heart of Mission: we can’t serve Jesus personally, but we can serve those whom he loves and he has said that in serving others, it is the same as if we served him. Most of us are familiar with Mother Theresa of Calcutta’s works of mercy. She is one of the best recent examples of what a life devoted to mission can achieve for Christ. Many wise sayings have been attributed to her about our mission as Christians. Here is one that I find particularly meaningful:

“Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them. Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.”

This month we’ll have two very important opportunities to reflect on our Mission as Christians both individually and as a Church and both are concerned with feeding hungry people in our country and around the world:

• On March 4, Rev. Matthew Martin will bring a message about his work to cure hunger in New England through the ministry of “Outreach, Inc. – Kids Care.” Matthew will share how we can become part of a great ecumenical mission to help the more than 50,000 people in New England who are food insecure. For more information on this ministry as well as others check out the website www.outreachprogram.org. Oh, and by the way, Matthew and his family will be residing our parsonage beginning this month!

• On March 30-31, our Youth Groups will participate in the World Vision 30-Hour Famine. All of us have the opportunity to join with them in physically or symbolically fasting. We can give up some food or activity we enjoy for a day, a week or the month and give the money we saved to our Youth. And, we can fast from time-wasting by giving up some TV or gaming time and instead feeding our spirits with reading the Bible and prayer. We can all support our young people with making a donation to World Vision through their special fund-raiser.
  
  

As we come into the Season of Lent, may we be truly thankful for the blessing of Christ in our lives.

In His love,

Pastor Susan

New Member Classes will be held on Sunday March 4 and March 18 at 11:00AM in the Cindy Henderson Library of the Parish House. Those who would like to become members of the Church or who simply would like to know more about the Church are encouraged to attend. Each meeting will be about an hour. Members will be received on Easter Sunday.