“New Gloucester was—and is—a small, rural town in Maine. I think it’s a safe bet that you will never read about it in church history books or ever see it on the national news. But the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. There is no place that’s insignificant to him and so no place where the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ might not break in, in the power of the Holy Spirit.”
“Appreciating your inner-connectedness and the good that is happening in your community reminds you that both believers and unbelievers are human beings made in God’s image. It can help you to endure in ministry by growing in thankfulness for what you have where you live instead of what you don’t have.”
“God has given us his Word and placed us within local churches. His Word is the catalyst for our transformation and his church is the context of our transformation. Of course, this doesn’t mean there’s no place for professional counseling. But it does mean that God will powerfully use his Word and his church for the sake of his people.”
“The communion of saints expresses the spiritual reality that through faith, by the Spirit, those united to Christ are inherently united to all who are also in Christ. Through that communion we are not just teammates, allies, or friends, but participants in the life of one another through our shared participation in Christ.”
“Our church got its start over 11 years ago now and we represent the first church plant of Christ Redeemer Church of Hanover, NH. Also, for the last three plus years now I’ve also had the privilege of serving as a Small Town Summits Partner representing the state of New Hampshire. Now, if you had told any of this to my twenty-year-old self, I likely would have laughed out loud or looked at you sideways. “
Rick Harrington is a New England pastor who has participated in our Summits. Rick recently published a book, Churching: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church in the Christian Life. We’re pleased to be able to share with you an interview about Rick’s book.
