There are several roads that lead to one location. Each of us chooses the road we feel may be better suited for our travel, the road God has prepared for us, or the one others have chosen for us. During this season of celebration, expectation, and recalling of the Advent story, we must consider what God did in a lowly manger. Additionally, as we reflect, we also give consideration to how the wise men followed a road guided by an Eastern star, yet not returning home on the same road. Instead, heeding the warning by God in a dream, they traveled home another way.

The church’s impact today is needed and necessary! The political climate, racial injustice, social disparities, gap between the haves and have nots, and so much more calls for us to stand as a trumpet. It takes all of us as the Church to live-out and carry the Gospel to meet the needs of God’s people. How can we accomplish this alone? It is difficult, yet we may experience some level of accomplishment. However, it may not be to the magnitude of all of us working together to do what is in the best interest of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, realizing that working together works! It takes all of us! The local church must have visionary leaders to access the community it serves.

A Connectional Church

How can one person, church, district, or annual conference accomplish God’s work alone? We are connectional, and we can ill afford to allow our collective genius to succumb to personalities, competition, theological differences, educational accomplishments, or church size. We may have great ideas and suggestions that people may or may not agree with, but we cannot take it personally because the kingdom and kingdom of God is more immense than us. Each local church congregation needs to envision itself being attached to the community which they serve.

Getting to the Place of Agreement

When we, as God’s people come into agreement, we become greater and the road we travel together can propel the Church to meet the need of being a light in dark places. God is in the people’s business, and so should the local Church and its membership be. Hey! Where are we going? Would you not agree that the small town, rural, urban, and suburban congregations benefit from each other’s work? The fact is, our collective work is better than our individual work. The roads that lead to a better Church, community and family is best travelled when all persons are in agreement. Most importantly, let us harmoniously travel the same road. It has often been said and repeated that “Teamwork makes the dream work, and there is no I in team.” Finally, consider this, “The one who walks the road alone may not see the beauty of riding together.”

We are the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church recognizing the importance of Christ in our daily lives.

Rev. Dr. Leon C. Moore, Jr.

General Secretary of Evangelism and Missions

Pleasant Hill CME, Conyers, GA