Deep Roots Yield a Fruitful Future

In my last post, I asked a simple but important question: Where are we putting our roots?

Roots matter. They determine stability. They determine nourishment. They determine whether a tree survives shifting soil and unexpected storms.

Over the past several years, many churches — including ours — have walked through seasons that felt like shifting ground. Cultural change. Leadership transitions. New faces. Hard conversations. New opportunities. Lingering questions.

It’s natural in seasons like this to quietly wonder:
What does the future hold for us?
Are we moving in the right direction?
What kind of church are we becoming?

Those are not faithless questions. They are faithful ones.

As we step into this Centennial year — celebrating 100 years at this location — I find myself both looking back and looking forward. Because that’s what rooted people do.

One hundred years ago, a group of believers planted themselves here. They worshiped. They prayed. They sacrificed. They gave. They trusted God for what they could not yet see.
They lived through wars, economic uncertainty, social change, and generational transition. And through all of it, God was faithful.

We are not the first generation to face uncertainty. And we will not be the last. But the same Lord who sustained this church through the past century is the Lord who sustains us now.
That is not nostalgia. That is confidence in God’s faithfulness.

As a Methodist/Wesleyan people, we carry something beautiful into this moment.

We are a people of Scripture — believing that God’s Word shapes our lives.
We are a people of grace — believing grace transforms, not just forgives.
We are a people of accountable discipleship — seen today in ministries like our LinC groups.
We are a people who believe holiness is lived out in love — through service, generosity, mercy, and witness.

This is not a brand to defend. It is a gift to steward. We are called to be the church God has shaped us to be.

When I look around our church, I see growth that may not always be loud but is deeply meaningful. Younger families planting roots. Children and youth engaging in faith. Longtime members mentoring and serving with renewed purpose. Leaders stepping forward in new ways. Generosity expressed in time, gifts, and service.

Growth often happens in layers — foundations strengthened, trust rebuilt, vision clarified.
And that kind of growth lasts.

Last November, we emphasized being Rooted in Generosity. That wasn’t just about finances — it was about trust.
Generosity says we trust God with our resources.
We trust God with our time.
We trust God with our spiritual gifts.
We trust God with our witness.
We trust God with our future.

Generosity is not driven by fear. It is a response to grace. A rooted church is a generous church. And a generous church is positioned for lasting fruit.

It’s easy to measure health by comparison. But the Church has never been called to compete. We are called to be faithful.

God uses different churches in different ways to reach different people. We can celebrate what God is doing across our community without losing clarity about who we are. What is true no matter the name on the sign or the Christian tribe one belongs to, is that faithfulness over time bears fruit.

As we celebrate this Centennial year, we are not simply honoring the past. We are drawing strength from it. Because God has been with us we know that God will be with us.

So the question we ask is not "will we look like we once did?" For the answer is almost certainly "no". And the question is not, “will we survive another 100 years?" For only God knows and that's really immaterial to the call that we've received from the LORD!

Rather the question we should be asking is simply this, “What will God grow through us next?”

And if faith is our guide, then we will answer that question by practicing the spiritual disciplines and availing ourselves of the Means of Grace that cause our roots to go deep. As we do, you will see us continue to strengthen discipleship, invest in children and youth, equip new leaders, invite others into meaningful community, practice generosity in all its forms, and remain attentive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Some steps will be small. Some will stretch us. All of them will require trust. But none of them will be driven by anxiety. They will be driven by calling.

If our roots remain in Christ — in His Word, in prayer, in grace, and in mission — then we have every reason to move forward with confidence.
Not arrogance.
Not fear.
Not comparison.

Confidence. Because we have seen God’s faithfulness before. And I believe we are only beginning to see what He intends to do in and through this church in the years ahead.

Deep roots produce lasting fruit. And I am grateful to be rooted here with you.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Aaron