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Pastors’ Column

Each week one of our pastors or staff members writes a column observing what is going on in our congregation, the Church and the world, and offering reflections on the Christian life and faith. Through this series of columns, we hope to connect your and our story to the enduring story of Christ; to offer pastoral reflections on our ongoing congregational life and mission; to report on news of the Presbyterian Church and Church universal; and to invite further reflection and deeper discipleship. We welcome your comments and suggestions. In other words, our words here are an invitation to continue the conversation.

Regathering after being apart

The Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet

As our congregation begins regathering after a long season of being apart, I am really looking forward to the first in-person worship this coming Sunday. It will still not be like it used to be for some time. We continue to deal with the necessary safety issues of being inside together with physical distancing, wearing masks, and meditating on the hymns rather than signing them boldly. But it’s a beginning, a significant step forward, and a welcome sign pointing to a post-pandemic future.

Adapting to Changing Seasons

The Rev. Rachel Pedersen

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve opened my front door. A pair of enterprising birds decided that my winter wreath would make an excellent place for a nest. I had initially ignored the random twigs I saw in the wreath and thought they were nothing more than a reminder of an early spring storm.

The Butterfly and Signs of Resurrection

The Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet

Since I was a little girl, I have appreciated the butterfly as a symbol of resurrection. I remember a walk through a special display about butterflies in a natural history museum on a family trip when I was about eight or nine. We learned about the phases of life from caterpillar to chrysalis, to an amazing winged thing of beauty taking flight. That exhibit exited through a fully-fenced enclosure where butterflies flew and alighted on us.

On Porcupines and Taxes

The Rev. Franklyn C. Pottorff

Do you know what porcupines do in the winter? As you think about that, consider this: In a normal year, today is tax day, the day many Americans collectively bemoan government waste and charge it to the taxpayer. But for the second year in a row, the due date has been pushed back. The pandemic has necessitated a longer pause for Americans to get their bearings and their documents in order.

2021 Theologian in Residence

The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick

In just a few weeks we will welcome our 2021 Theologian in Residence Jonathan L. Walton to be with us, virtually, for a weekend of conversations on the ways that scripture – when read through a Lens of Love - empowers and informs the work of the church in the world.

Anticipating Easter Joy

The Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet

Easter feels long overdue this year. As a pastor I tend to mark the passage of time by the liturgical seasons of the church year, from Advent to the Reign of Christ, every bit as much by the Gregorian calendar, from January through December. The pandemic has skewed our perception of time in such a way as to feel like we have been through a yearlong Lent, a protracted season of solemn contemplation. However, nearing the end of Holy Week on this Maundy Thursday, we are assured that Easter is coming.

Travel Beckons

Jeffrey Brillhart

Three years ago, I wrote a Messenger article about the Sanctuary Choir’s proposed 2020 tour to the Middle East. With an itinerary that included visits to Caesarea, the Church of the Annunciation, Mary’s Well, the Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa, Mount Zion, King David’s Tomb, the Dead Sea, Petra, Amaan, Jordan, and much more, this tour promised to be an adventure that would transform our understanding of this sacred ground.