By Elizabeth Burns,
ARP Women’s Ministries Coordinator
I lways marvel over the opening and closing words in the letters of Paul and John and Peter in Scripture. Grace and peace is extended in the openings of at least 17 letters, with mercy and love added to a few, and we find these very same blessings prayerfully offered in just as many closings.
These are not just shallow words of niceness or the empty words of worldly wishes, but are in fact promised blessings from God himself to those who belong to him through faith in Christ Jesus. Writing to brothers and sisters in Christ, they wanted the best for them, they offered the best for them, they encouraged and challenged and prayed the best for them.
Paul, John and Peter wanted all who were in Christ to know the riches of his grace, the power of his peace and the depth of his love. And wanting them to grow in this knowledge, they wrote and offered all that God had given to enable the believers to do just that.
We don’t talk this way today, do we? On occasion, one might begin a letter using language such as we find in these letters, but as a general rule, most do not. Yet this does not mean our desire for grace, peace, mercy, and love to be extended and multiplied in the lives of other believers is lessened or changed.
Everything the Board of Women’s Ministries offers to the women of our denomination, is done with the prayerful hope and desire that each of you will grow in grace and peace of the Father and of His Son Jesus Christ, as you grow in your knowledge of Jesus Christ our Savior. All who serve in Women’s Ministries want the best for each woman in the ARP denomination, and in turn, offer the best to hem, encourage and challenge and pray the best for them – for you!
ARP Women’s Ministries is please to offer a number of opportunities to all women, that they may grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Beginning with the encouragement to the women who will attend General Synod in June.