Our 38th ACM - A Holy Gathering Under Christ’s Rule

Today after Sunday Service, we gather as one Hermon family at Henderson for our 38^th annual congregational meeting.

It is easy to think of our ACM as a necessary formality — a review of reports, finances, budget, and plans. Yet Scripture calls us to see more. When the people of God gather, even for matters of administration, we are participating in something deeply spiritual, the visible outworking of Christ’s rule over His church.

This meeting is not merely about business. It is about stewardship, unity and faithfulness under our sovereign Lord. May I share a few thoughts about how we can make this gathering edifying for all.

Firstly, let’s come with a spirit of prayer and thanksgiving.

Before anything is said or decided, may we begin with this conviction that God has been at work among us. Every ministry report we read is ultimately a testimony, not to human effort, but to divine grace, as Paul reminds us from 1 Corinthians 3:6–7.

We gather, therefore, with thankful hearts. We rejoice in answered prayers, quiet acts of service and the steady proclamation of the gospel. And, because we acknowledge that apart from the Lord, we can do nothing, we ask Him for wisdom, trusting His promise from James 1:5.

May a prayerful spirit frame our listening, our speaking and our decisions.

Secondly, come with a commitment to unity in truth.

The church (Hermon included) is not a collection of individuals, but one body in Christ. We are called to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

This unity is not mere agreement or avoidance of disagreement. It is a shared submission to Christ and His Word. We listen carefully, speak humbly and seek the good of the whole body.

In all things, we pursue harmony, seeking the truth guided Scripture by speaking it in love.

Thirdly, come ready to participate as faithful stewards.

Each member has a role to play. Even as preparation for the ACM matters, our participation also matters. To engage thoughtfully in the meeting is an act of stewardship, as Scripture teaches us from 1 Peter 4:10.

When we review the ministry reports, ask questions or cast votes, we are not merely expressing opinions, we are helping to steward the resources, direction and witness of Christ’s church here in Hermon.

Let our contributions through our presence, comments and voting, be shaped by a desire to build up the body here in Hermon (1 Corinthians 14:26).

Fourthly, come with a forward look rooted in God’s Purposes.

While we give thanks for the past, we also look ahead, not with anxiety or ambition, but with trust. The church’s mission has already been given to us by Christ in the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20). And this is encapsulated in Hermon’s Mission Statement. 

Our task is not to invent a new vision, but to remain faithful to His calling to Be His Disciples and by Making Disciples - proclaiming the Gospel, and seeking to live as Gospel-minded Hermonites.

So, let’s lift our eyes beyond numbers and reports. Let’s ask, ‘How can we be more faithful?’,  ‘How can we better serve?’ And as we encourage each other to press on, know that “in the Lord your labour is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Finally, come with grace and wisdom in every word.

Conversations in such meetings can be weighty. Decisions may be complex. Differences may arise. Yet Scripture guides us clearly in how we should deliberate in our communications (James 1:19).

We listen carefully. We speak graciously. We ask questions not to accuse, but to understand. We resist gossip and complaint, choosing instead words that give grace to those who hear.

And we honour the structures and processes in place, remembering that “all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

Our ACM is not merely administrative, neither is it just a legal requirement, it is an expression of Christ’s kingship over His church.

Here, we give thanks for His grace, seek His wisdom, and commit ourselves afresh to His purposes. As we gather, may we do so with humble hearts, united in love, and confident that the Lord who has led us thus far will continue to build His church for His glory.

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory” (Psalm 115:1). - Pastor Daniel Tan