May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...
 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:5-6, 13)

    What does the Church have to offer the world?  What is the real value that we bring to others outside of our congregation?  When people look at the Kirk, what do they value about us?  Each of us probably has different answers to that question.  One may say, "The Kirk School is a valuable outreach and service to the community."  Another may say, "The Kirk is a place for believers in Christ to gather and worship."  Still another may say, "The Kirk is a group of people who reach out to needy people in our community in a variety of ways." 
   
All of these are good answers but I think that they only reflect something more that the Kirk offers the world.  It may be that one of the most important things that the Kirk offers the world is Hope.             
Hope?  What about all of the mission and service that this church has done over the years?  What about all of the people that this congregation has touched through its love and concern?  What about the hundreds of children that the Kirk School has helped raise to be good citizens and productive adults?  All of these things have to do with Hope.
We can't possibly raise enough money or reach out to enough needy people to even make a dent in the sea of human misery that flows right past our door every day.  But we can continue to hold out a light through acts of kindness and personal involvement that tell the world that people care and that love is still at work in the world. 
We can't possibly provide enough space, teachers and material to give every child in the valley a Kirk education.  But we can invest in the lives that are brought to us.  Telling the world that Christ cares about young people and about education.  We can tell the world through the Kirk School that it takes a loving and faithful community to raise children and you can find that here at the Kirk.
We can't possibly meet everyone's emotional needs here in this congregation.  We are wounded healers, ministering to needs that we ourselves have.  Too often someone suffers alone or is isolated or marginalized.  But we can be a community that desires to find a place for everyone.  We can be a Christ centered community that actively loves people, forgiving each other and carry each other's burdens. 
This, my friends, is hope.  Hope that we are not alone.  Hope that we can make a difference.  Hope that the world can be changed.  Hope that I can be loved.  Hope that there is a place for me.  Hope that the incarnational light of Christ has not been extinguished.  Hope that the one who made me really does love me, finds me valuable and has a purpose for me. 
This, I think, is something very valuable that the Kirk gives to the world.  This is what the world gets a whiff of when they past by and what it gets a taste of when they come to visit.  This is not only what is attractive about our congregation, but it is the seed of what grows into a real relationship with Christ and with each other.  Could it be that the hope that overflows as our congregation gathers together (whether in worship or at Coco's!) leads someone into the love of God's people, Kirk People.  And could it be that this love, which we aim to practice and nurture, leads someone into faith in Christ?  And then, could it be, that this faith in Christ leads to renewed hope in that person's life and so sparking hope in others as well?

This is building the Kingdom of God and expanding the Community of Christ.  It is with our overflowing hope that God is doing something in this place and Christ is working in this congregation that we can shine in the world.  It is with this hope, given by God and not supplied by our abilities or resources that we walk into God's ministry together.

Pastor Robbie Carnes