One of my favorite things I get to do here at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian is to join the Deacons’ Helping Hands team as they are stationed in front of the sanctuary to greet and assist folks coming to worship. It is not easy for some to get from the circle drive and navigate their way into the sanctuary to find their pew. The Helping Hands team is there to offer some joyful assistance, and Sunday by Sunday, they get to have brief conversations with some of our older members who are delighted to be coming to worship even with the challenges they face.
Every two years, we honor those who have been members of BMPC for fifty years or more. We will do that this Sunday at a luncheon following the 10 a.m. worship service. There are 183 BMPCers who have been members for five decades or more. Not all of them will be able to attend the luncheon this Sunday, but we celebrate every one of them!
Think about what was happening in 1974, fifty years ago. Our country was in the midst of the Watergate crisis, which resulted in the first U. S. President ever to resign. The last troops who had fought in Vietnam had just recently come home, although the peace treaties would not be finished until 1975. A show called ‘Happy Days’ debuted on television, and we were finding out who ‘the Fonz’ was. ‘The Sting’ won Best Picture that year. The top hit on the radio was ‘The Way We Were’ by Barbra Streisand. In sports, the Flyers won their first Stanley Cup, and Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record.
Bryn Mawr Presbyterian had just finished celebrating its centennial observances. David Watermulder was Senior Pastor, but some of our long-term members had joined when Rex Clements was in service here. These members have been supporting this congregation for more than 2600 Sundays. The two main Presbyterian denominations (the old southern and northern churches) would not even become the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) until 1983. These long-term members remained steadfast even when there were denominational, presbytery, and congregational controversies. There were economic ups and downs along the way. They supported plenty of stewardship and capital campaigns. They maintained and built our extraordinary mission, educational, and music programming by which we are blessed today. Many of them served on multiple committees and/or as officers. Think about how many times they took baptismal vows on behalf of those who were experiencing God’s grace being poured out upon them! They broke bread and shared the cup sacramentally and socially. And here is a great thing – they are still doing it, even if some can only attend virtually instead of in person.
I draw inspiration from these 50-plus-year folks for their faithful dedication. I hope all our members will think about how to live out faithfulness to the ministry of Jesus Christ in this place as we make our stewardship pledges, volunteer for a variety of ministry positions, and try to be an example for those younger ones who will still be here when BMPC celebrates its bi-centennial 49 years from now.
