In Christ Is Life and Life Abundant
By Tom Cramer
Big or small, young or old, faith communities of the Presbytery of Los Ranchos seek to be as vital as we can be. “Vitality” is personal and communal, and it comes in all shapes and sizes.
This year, our Presbytery Gatherings will focus on the theme of “vitality” as followers of Jesus Christ and leaders of congregations. In each Gathering throughout the year, and at forums in between, we will explore various aspects of vitality and what it means to confess, “In Christ is life and life abundant.” The hope is that each congregation, session, and presbytery committee will feel encouraged to become more vital in our discipleship and communities of service.
In John Chapter 10, Jesus paints an unnerving picture of sheep who are in danger. Thieves and wolves seek to destroy them, to tear their flock apart. But Jesus identifies himself as “the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.” Even though there are bandits and predators who seek to scatter and destroy the flock, Jesus protects the sheep and leads them to find pasture.
In this figure of speech, the good news of the Gospel is what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Today we would say, “continues to do for us by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Everything is at stake—life and death, danger and salvation, scarcity and abundance.
So many of the emotions that we feel today as followers of Jesus and church leaders may be found in this parable. But sheep, unlike us, don’t pretend they need only a “little bit of help” to survive, or if they “try a little harder” they will get what they desire. They need a Shepherd who sacrifices his life for them, saves them from certain demise, and leads them to green pastures.
In 2025, our presbytery will be exploring the power of God’s sacrificial love in Jesus Christ, and how it transforms people like us to live and love as Jesus did. We will be asking honest questions about “vitality in Christ” and what it means to us as disciples and congregations.
We will also reflect on the moment we are in as Presbyterians and what vitality looks like for our unique way of being God’s church in the 21st century. And just as importantly, we will “wonder together” how we can pass on our faith to the next generation of disciples, providing a space for them to thrive.
Because “in Christ is life and life abundant,” let’s join together and use every encouragement we have to share this life more deeply as sheep of the Good Shepherd’s flock.
Please stay tuned for regular updates about how we will explore this theme together in 2025.
With you on the journey,
Tom Cramer
Executive Presbyter
Presbytery of Los Ranchos
