The Messenger - December 30, 2010 - Looking Forward and Looking Back

Pastor's Corner

"Looking Forward and Looking Back"

I love that "quiet" week after Christmas! After concluding the last service on Christmas Eve with the soft light of candles and the quiet hush of "Silent Night," it seems that everything becomes quiet. Once our gifts have all been opened and our guests have bid farewell, we have a little time to savor the blessings of this season and the promise of a year to come.

Looking back on 2010, I will savor the wonderful music programs our chancel choir performed: "Touch," by Allan Petker; "Requiem," by Mack Wilberg; and a whole medley of lively carols for choir and piano duet by Howard Helvey. I will also savor the lively voices of countless children walking through our halls each Wednesday afternoon and the delightful programs they performed: "The Next Noel," by Nan and Dennis Allen; "Arkeology," by Dave Clark and Jamie Thompson; and many others. I will not particularly savor some of the controversies that we weathered in 2010, but I will savor the thoughtful comments and helpful spirit of so many dedicated church members who chose to step well beyond their "comfort zone" to accommodate the needs of younger generations. These "well tenured" saints are the "backbone" of our church, and, when reasonable accommodations were made, they chose flex that bone in order to help us reach some folks who are not yet involved in church. God bless 'em!

Looking forward to 2011, I am excited to think about the creative possibilities that lie before us once the chancel is redesigned, and I'm even excited about the potential of (interim) worship in McDonald Hall. Vacation Bible Schools and many teen music programs have taught us that this space can be adapted in many creative ways. Even in my brief tenure here at First Presbyterian Church, I've seen McDonald Hall become a "Rock'n Diner," an International "Bazaar", and a Colonial "Pub." Now, I can envision that space helping us to experience the Biblical teachings of Jesus in a whole new way.

Many of you know by now that the Session approved our Sanctuary Redesign Project on December 21, but you may not know that they also approved two other major improvements to our church. The first project will replace several dozen old and drafty windows on the north and west sides of our church. The second project will fix our leaky roof! I've heard people complain about that roof from the very day I started here, and I've ushered more than one prospective repairman through this building myself. Given the size and slope of our roof, most contractors don't even want to make a bid. But our Stewardship Commission finally found one well-respected company that is willing to get this done. Hallelujah!

Given the breadth of these projects and the growing participation in our Youth and Children's Choirs, I think that our church will finish 2011 in a notably stronger position than we experience now. I appreciate all of those who have worked so diligently to launch these initiatives, and I am thrilled to anticipate the results of all that work. Thanks, gang!

I'll see you in 2011!

Editor's Corner

Well, I guess this is it..... for now. Soon I will be riding off into the proverbial sunset to ultimately throw my energies into who-knows-what.

Again, it was my pleasure to deliver The Messenger weekly (well, almost!) for the last 15 months and I thank each of you for your friendship and support.

And since saying goodbye is never my thing and I will never be good at it..... sniff, sniff. So I am not even going to try, instead I'd like to wish every one of you a Happy and Blessed New Year!

Until we meet again!

      Yesi

---

Related Links:

• The MESSENGER's Archives
• e-CALENDAR

To make comments or be added or deleted from The Messenger mail list click here
=A92010 - First Presbyterian Church of San Pedro