Welcome, Elders!

Sunday was memorable for us at FPC-H:

* Mike McKoon was installed as an active Elder on Session during worship;

* the final training class of oncoming Elders was held after our scrumptious lunch;

* Elders are going to now help in leading parts of our worship, along with the young people of the Church.

FPC-H is a church that has depended upon the goodness of its Elders and lay members in the past.  This is a great legacy...and a legacy we hope to continue with in the days, months, and years to come.

Life is good at FPC-H!

Peace, 

Pastor Brett

FPC-H: A Chosen People Who Turn

One of the themes from last week's reading in worship, and this week's Scripture reading, we are reminded that part of our pilgrimage, is that we are a people who turn toward God.  Some times on pilgrimage the issue is not necessarily moving forward but being headed in the right direction.  In other words, some times we simply need to be turned the right direction.

In the reading this morning from Jonah, Jonah and the people of Nineveh had to turn.  They had to repent, which literally means "to turn."

We are God's turning people!

Praise God!

Pastor Brett

Baptism, Ordination, and Installation!

What a marvelous worship we experienced on Sunday! The high point was the sacrament of baptism, with Allison Jones-Gerber being baptized. It was marvelous to welcome this child of God into the body of Christ publicly and with great celebration! She was incredibly forgiving with water being poured over her head, letting me carry her down the aisle, and smiling and cooing with the best of them. Hearing the congregation sing "He's Got the Whole World" was wonderful.

What was also fascinating was that the child we baptized is distantly related to "Chris" Christopher, whose memorial and celebration of his life we all participated in this past Thursday. The circle of life--life and death and life ever lasting--was witnessed by us all this past week.

With the honoring of the Elders rotating off, and the ordination and installation of Elders, we participated in and witnessed what it means to live into our baptismal vows. We all have been called to use the gifts, services, and talents, and some have been called to be Elders. It is awesome, amazing to bless those who are being ordained as Elders, making them part of the ruling body of the body of Christ.

God is doing amazing things at First Presbyterian Church of Henderson! We have much to thank God for, including the sacrament of baptism, witnessing the life everlasting, and the ordination and installation of Elders! Thanks be to God!

Peace, Brett

Happy Epiphany!

Happy Epiphany!

This is the day (Jan. 6) that Christmastide ends (12 days long), and Epiphany is celebrated, a day that focuses on the Wisemen, the Magi, arriving to the celebrated manger scene. Matt. 2:1-11 is the one reference we have to this mysterious scene where the first set of Outsiders arrive at the Holy scene, with the shepherds, animals, Mary, and Joseph huddled around the newborn child.

We at First Presbyterian Church welcome all strangers, outsiders, people who may have been branded by others in society as different. Our model for welcoming those who are marginalized in society is none other than the Christ who sat with not only the rich and powerful, but those who were deemed outsiders to the powerful rulers of his day.

Happy Epiphany!

Come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Peace,

Pastor Brett

Praising God as One People

What a marvelous way to start off the new year--2009--with combined worship with Cotton Memorial Presby. Church. As you all know Henderson better than I do, though the churches are only a few yards away from one another, it takes some intentional planning for the churches to come together to worship. I am glad that we continue the tradition, celebrating worship with Holy Communion three times a year. Black and white, women and men, young and old, rich and poor: all of us gathered under one roof to sing songs of praise, prayed prayers of hope and change, all in this wondrous, mysterious time of Christmastide and Epiphany.

Thanks to one and all who make our worship together possible!

Peace,

Pastor Brett