It has been a few weeks since our last post. However, that is not to say work on the church has halted or slowed. The church leadership took an opportunity to meet on September 23 to continue mapping out the way ahead. Our primary focus remains discerning the will of God for Ruckersville Baptist Church. Meaning we are taking a thoughtful look at deliberately restoring God’s resources to best carry out His ministries. In an effort to efficiently accomplish this task, we have begun establishing a special building team to facilitate the research and logistics required in this process. Mr. Brandon Flasco, who we all know is gifted in the skills of the building trade, has accepted the role of leading this team. This team will work in conjunction with the Property Council and cooperate with the other church councils, Deacons, Trustees, and Pastor.
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” (Colossians 1:17-18, NIV)
This past Sunday we enjoyed an opportunity to fellowship with Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Madison, Virginia. The word ekklesia, translated as church in the New Testament, is used in several different manners in the New Testament. In one sense it refers to the local congregation while in other appearances, it calls to the universal church of Jesus Christ. This fact was not ignored in the formation of the Nicene Creed, which affirms we believe “in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church”. The word “catholic” in this profession of faith refers not to the Catholic Church, but to the universality of the Christian church. That means the Church as the Body of Christ is not limited to a time, place, race or culture. As we worship with our friends in Madison, we are reminded of God’s authority, power, and providence to sustain “one holy, catholic, and apostolic” church.
Progress on the church building has continued in our absence. Much work has been done to improve the state of the fellowship hall for worship. The insulation and ceiling in the kitchen has been replaced. The drywall material in the hallway adjoining the lobby and men’s classroom has been removed, the doors replaced, lighting fixtures replaced, and electrical switches moved for convenience. All these details will allow the fellowship hall to be consistent in appearance (matching fixtures, doors, and trim). This will certainly do much to restore our church building to pristine state. Also, removing the drywall revealed an opportunity to update the electrical wiring to bring it into compliance with present day building ordinances; an important step for safety. Once the drywall is replaced, it will be time for some painting. Along with the fellowship hall, we are identifying contractors to paint the Sunday School wing also. This will be a large step in overcoming the odor from the smoke and bring us one-step closer to returning to the Sunday School wing for classes. Needless to say, the church continues to make forward progress.
