Pastors' Friday Reflections

This Sunday, October 5, we will share in communion as part of our morning worship services - and it is World Communion Sunday, so we'll be breaking the bread and sharing the cup with an awareness that Christians all around the world are doing the same - and thinking about and praying for each other as they do.

In addition, we'll be dedicating the beautiful new Communion and Fellowship stained glass window, which depicts the chalice and bread of the Lord's Supper.

At the 9:30 a.m. service, Bibles will be presented to the 3rd graders of our congregation. These Adventure Bibles are especially geared to being inviting and understandable for young people. This is a significant moment in their faith journey, as we place in their hands the opportunity to understand for themselves the word of God that speaks through the Bible.

Our message for this Sunday, given by Pastor Greta, will be from Philippians 4:4-9, an encouragement for people of Christ, even in uncertain circumstances, to be those who notice and see deeply into what is true, and just, and worthy of praise in this world.

Reaching New Heights - Matching Grant Challenge!!!!!

We have been blessed with such generosity in our efforts to raise money to repair the elevator. Now a family has stepped forward with a Matching Grant Challenge. All monies received starting today will be matched up to $10,000. This means that your gift will have double the impact!

As you probably remember, the basic cost for the elevator repair is $32,000; there is a great likelihood that additional costs will be incurred if excavation is required to remove the old cylinder. We ask all in the congregation to prayerfully consider making a gift or an additional gift toward the elevator fund so all of the Matching Grant can be used.

We have received about $25,000 toward the elevator repair so far. We will keep you informed about progress when the parts arrive and repairs can begin. As we all are aware, the elevator is essential in our building for making our ministries available to all.

It's a 10!  No - Make that an Eleven!

On two Sunday afternoons in September, you might have been surprised to see that some people - 11, to be exact --  were choosing to gather in a room at church, foregoing the beautiful, barely-autumn, weather outside for several hours.

What they were doing inside was focusing on a different kind of beauty - the beauty of what can happen when one person really listens to, cares about, and encourages another.

These people were gathered to be trained as Kids Hope mentors. This is the first year we've been a part of the Kids Hope program, where people from a church are paired with students in a local school, selected by the school staff -- students who might benefit from a weekly caring conversation and personal help with assignments given by their teachers.

I'd heard from a couple of other churches that in that first year of being part of Kids Hope, only a handful of people from the church volunteered for the program. So my mouth dropped open a little when Leah Ostwald, our church's volunteer Director, said that 13 people had signed up for this nine month commitment! Of those volunteers, 11 were able to attend the training in September, and are ready to be matched with a student.

The Kids Hope program trains mentors to maintain clear boundaries in the area of separation of Church and State. We don't meet with the student to share our faith in words - we do go to share the care for every person that is intertwined with living our faith.

What a gift it was to see that group of people, more than I had expected, ready to make a real effort of time and presence for the sake of a child.  In my mind, it was a "perfect... 11!"

What a gift to be a part of a church that takes so seriously - and joyfully - living our faith beyond the walls of the church building.