Welcome
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.
This Sunday is Confirmation Sunday! Confirmation is a vital milestone in the lives of our teenagers. As a class they spend a year together learning what it means to follow Jesus. This year's Confirmation Class, though small, is mighty. They have asked important questions of faith, experienced serving together, and grown in their relationships with God.
The 150th Vision Survey, which has been mailed to each BMPC household and is available online, is an important final step in engaging a churchwide conversation during this anniversary year. Where and how do we believe God is calling BMPC to grow in discipleship as we move forward together? This Sunday, May 14, is the deadline for completing the survey, and I urge you to participate if you have not yet done so.
We are 45 days away from the start of Vacation Bible Camp (June 19-23). Not that we’re counting, but that means we have six weeks until the church is filled with over 130 children. In other words, there are only 1,080 hours until our friends Noah, John, Lydia, Nehemiah, Isaiah and Miriam leave the pages of the Bible to arrive in person to share their stories. It means we still have 64,800 minutes to practice songs and prep decorations. In the 3,888,000 seconds left, I hope you will consider being a part of this ministry.
In his brief book, A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis remarks, “We were promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, 'Blessed are they that mourn,' and I accept it. I've got nothing that I hadn't bargained for. Of course it is different when the thing happens to oneself, not to others, and in reality, not imagination.”
This past Sunday many of you gathered in Fullerton Room to watch the documentary “The Return of the River,” the story of the removal of hydroelectric dams along the Elwha River in Oregon to allow the native flora and fauna as well as the indigenous community to return to the fullness of life that they had on the Olympic Peninsula for generations.
It’s the week after Easter. Jesus is risen. All of the palms and lilies are out of the Sanctuary. We successfully navigated eight worship services in seven days (not including funerals and memorial services). Between everything, our church welcomed around 2,000 worshipers last week. The clergy and staff are always exhausted after the culmination of a high holy season. We were glad to have Monday off. If for no other reason than to sleep.
Amen!
If you have been following the Lenten Sunday morning sermons on the Lord’s Prayer, the series will come to an end tonight at the Maundy Thursday Service in the Sanctuary at 7:30 p.m. While the meditation for this particular service is Amen, a reflection on that particular concluding word, the truth is all the services that take place tonight on Maundy Thursday and tomorrow on Good Friday function as the Amen to Jesus’ life.
