Dear Church Family,
This past Sunday, we were truly blessed to come together for a powerful Service of Celebration of Our God-Given Gifts, at which we honored our graduates.
I want to extend again my heartfelt thanks to each of our graduates: thanks for your presence, for your perseverance, and for your faith. You are a reflection of God’s grace and strength at work. I also thank your families, who have stood by you with love and encouragement, and I thank our church family and supporters, who continue to uplift and nurture you through prayer and presence. Your journey is a source of inspiration, and we are proud of all you have accomplished.
As we now turn toward June, I also want to take a moment to say “Happy Father’s Day” in advance to all the fathers and father figures among us. May this upcoming Father’s Day be filled with joy, honor, and God’s abundant blessings.
In our Sunday service, we reflected on 2 Chronicles 2:3–15, where King Solomon seeks out skilled workers—individuals gifted by God with wisdom and craftsmanship—to build a temple worthy of the Lord. This reminds us that God equips His people with gifts for a purpose.
Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, the Apostle Paul teaches that though there are different kinds of gifts, all are given by the same Spirit and all are intended for the common good. These are the Manifestation Gifts, which include the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, various kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues.
These gifts are not based on our natural talents, but are rather supernatural empowerments given by the Holy Spirit. Whether we recognize them yet or not, each believer has been given at least one spiritual gift, and it is our calling to discover, nurture, and use them for God’s glory.
As mentioned in the bulletin, the Manifestation Gifts are one of three distinct categories of New Testament gifts, alongside the Motivational Gifts (Romans 12) and the Ministry Gifts (Ephesians 4). Each is different, yet all come from God—just as apples, oranges, and bananas are different but all are fruit. All are needed for the health and effectiveness of the church.
For those who wish to dive deeper into this subject, I recommend the book Discover Your God-Given Gifts by Don and Katie Fortune. It is a biblically sound and practical guide to understanding how your gifts shape your thoughts, relationships, calling, and spiritual journey.
Let us commit to helping one another recognize and walk boldly in the gifts that God has placed within us. Through our obedience and unity, the body of Christ will continue to grow stronger, more faithful, and more fruitful.
In Christ’s Service,
Bishop John L. Ghee
