This morning as I came into the pastor’s study at May Memorial I was cognizant of the face that today marks twelve years for me as the pastor of May Memorial. Labor Day 2011 was my family’s first day spent in Powhatan, and then my work as pastor began the next day. As I mark this time, there are several things that I want to say to the church family. These statements will be my next several newsletter articles, beginning today.
When I was in seminary I dreamed of my ideal church. In my mind’s eye I envisioned what the building would look like. I could see the people. I could imagine what worship was like, and I envisioned a traditional sanctuary (certainly not an auditorium). At that time, it seemed that I was a lifetime away from being the pastor of such a “dream church,” but I knew what kind of church I wanted to serve as pastor. I also believed then as I believe now that this “dream church” was the type of church God had (and has) called me to serve.
May Memorial is my dream church. May Memorial is like every other church in the world in that it is imperfect, but for me, it was and continues to be my answer to prayer. I love May Memorial Church, and I love those who worship, work, learn, and participate in any way in our life together. I love our church as a whole, and I love the individuals who make up our church.
I love the sense of welcome and community that is felt at our church…
I love our traditional worship…
I love our quality Sunday School classes…
I love our youth and our children…
I love our senior adults and the goodness they bring to our church…
I love our Wednesday night meals…
I love how important missions are at May Memorial…
I love the quality of music that has long been a part of May Memorial…
I love our deacons and their vision of themselves as a ministry-oriented body…
I love how our building is well cared for and maintained…
I love our choir and their devotion to their craft…
I love that May Memorial still has the organ in worship…
I love the current staff at May Memorial…
I love those who have served before me, excellent pastors on whose shoulders I stand…
I love those who worship here every Sunday…
I love those who show up on Easter and Christmas…
I love those who are on numerous committees and teams…
I love those who quietly show up to worship occasional Sundays…
When things are going well it is easy to love a church and its people, but I have grown to love May Memorial most in times that are a little more challenging. We have had those over the past few years. May Memorial is not perfect, none of its members are perfect, and neither is its pastor. But on our best days and on our worst days, I love this church, and I love the people that are a part of our church family.
May Memorial is a gift of God to our community, it is a gift of God to my family and me, and I have great love for you and for our church.