In addition to the following reflections, the Church of the Brethren news service provided excellent coverage of this year’s Annual Conference. There you’ll find daily summaries and in-depth articles, as well as links to view business and worship webcasts, view photos, and download various other resources.

Did you attend Annual Conference in St. Louis? If so, take a moment to provide some feedback to those who plan Conference by filling out an evaluation form. On the form you’ll find opportunities to reflect on worship, business, and insight sessions, as well as the chance to recommend people for worship leadership at future conferences.

The following reflections were shared on July 15, 2012, by Pastor Matt as our delegate to the 2012 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in St. Louis.:

The following is a poetic reflection on Amos 6:1-7, 9:7-8 and these times in which we live. 

(First preached on Sunday, July 1st, 2012.)

Download full text as PDF

(This letter also appears as "Matt's Musings" in the January edition of Intersections, our church newsletter)

To my dear friends and companions on the journey of faith, the Richmond Church of the Brethren, may God’s boundless love, Christ’s grace, and the Spirit’s peace bless each one of you. 

As much as I appreciate the important seasons of Advent and Christmas, awaiting and celebrating the in-breaking of God into our lives and our world in radical ways, I’m also a big fan of the less-liturgical holiday of the New Year. It provides me (and you) with an oft-needed vantage point to look back, to look within, and to look down the road ahead. 

The following sermon was a part of our 2011 worship series on stewardship, titled Simple Stewardship. You can find several other worksheets and documents for reflection and discernment on our stewardship resources page.  Though it's always a little awkward for me as a paid pastor to talk about financial stewardship, considering how much of our church's budget goes toward pastoral compensation, I hope you might find this a meaningful and challenging reflection on what it means to participate in God's work in the world when it comes to money.

The following sermon was a part of our 2011 worship series on stewardship, titled Simple Stewardship. It was shared alongside a time-use discernment worksheet, which you can download from our stewardship resources page. I hope you might find the time to take a few moments to pause, read through this scripture, and reflect on the ways that you've sought to engage abundance in your own life.