A Different Lost Colony

 

North Carolina is a beautiful state, and one of its beautiful places are the Outer Banks.  When Ann and I travelled there some time ago, one of the things we did was watch the outdoor drama, “The Lost Colony”.   The “Lost Colony” outdoor drama is over 50 years old, but the story it tells is much older than that.  The story goes that in the late 1500’s Queen Elizabeth I gave permission to Sir Walter Raleigh to establish a colony in the New World we know call the United States.  A small band of  men, women, and children set sail and settled at what is now known as Manteo, North Carolina.  When rations became low, Ralph White and a few others set sail for England to get provisions.  When they returned many months later, they discovered a “lost colony”.  What happened to the colonists remains a source of mystery and speculation  even to this day.

            It occurs to me that in the church of Jesus Christ we have our own “Lost Colony”, and it is that group of people that get lost from our pews, our programs, and involvement in the life of our church.  They are the people that joined our church and were involved in the life of the body of Christ.  Though we might see them in the grocery store or in the community,  we never see them in the life  and ministry of the church.  As Ralph White and company searched for the colonists lost from Roanoke Island, so it is our responsibility as the church to be concerned about their welfare.  Perhaps they are not involved in the church because of something that has happened in their life where the body of Christ, the church, might be a source of support and strength.  Perhaps they are not involved in the life of the church anymore because of an unfortunate encounter in their relationship with someone in the church.  In Luke 15, Jesus tells us not about a lost colony, but about a lost sheep who is sought out by the shepherd.  As God’s instruments in the world today, it seems imperative on we who are the church to search for those lost colonists who once were a part of our church.  It might be that not only their soul depends on it, but our soul depends on it also.   Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall 

PRAYER

            Lord God,  we pray today for those who have vanished from the life and program of our church.   Remembering how your love searched and sought us, help us to reach out to them;  in the name of Jesus Christ we pray and we serve.  Amen.