November 2008

PASTOR'S PAGE

In November we enter a season of thankfulness. What are YOU thankful for this year? I realize there are many things to be thankful for in my life. Our congregation’s list of blessings would include the new building, new members, a new worship service and the awesome opportunity to serve God. However, these blessings can have a downside depending on how we look at them. Some people see the good news of our blessings and others see the bad news. So here is the “good news-bad news” story of our church.

The good news is we have more space. The bad news is we can’t find anything without a search.

The good news is we have many Sunday school rooms. The bad news is they are not all filled right now.

The good news is we have no debt on the building project. The bad news is we have used most of our savings.

The good news is we received a gift of stock that was worth $200,000.00. The bad news is the building cost $200,000.00 more than we thought it would.

The good news is we have ten (10) children between the ages of 4 and 7. The bad news is we do not have enough Sunday school teachers for them.

The good news is we have a GREAT worship band. The bad news is there needs to be more people attending worship to hear them.

The good news is we have new members. The bad news is many of our members have died or are now unable to come to worship so our membership numbers are not increasing.

The good news is the children like Sunday school and worship in the evening. The bad news is there are no children in the morning service.

The good news is we received a $50,000 grant for two years from the Presbytery for new programs and equipment. The bad news is it wasn’t enough to cover the cost for a new sign on the front lawn.

There is good news and we should celebrate those gifts we have received. As I look at the bad news, I realize it’s really not bad news, but opportunities to serve God through this congregation. Some of the bad news relates to money issues. We have used our Building Fund, which we depended on to meet our ordinary expenses. Now there’s a chance for us to step up to the plate and increase our own giving. From the generous gift of just two women we had the money to build the addition. Now the 85 members of the church have the opportunity to continue the ministry of this congregation by supporting the ministry financially. I believe that together we can change this bad news into good news.

The other bad news relates to our number of church members. We have received many new members in the past few years who have given of themselves to this ministry. We continue to welcome new members. However, many of our older members entered the Church Triumphant. This bad news can change into good news if we share our faith with others and invite them to worship or another church gathering or activity.

Our ministry is about good news----growing in opportunities to worship, welcoming new members, and sharing the stories of the difference God makes in our lives. Our ministry is about the “Good News” of Jesus Christ which binds us together and challenges us to love God and our neighbors. Let’s celebrate the good news!

Grace and peace,

Reverend Linda Maconochie