Pastor’s Corner (09/12/19)

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.                    

Phil. 1:6

What a joyous weekend we just had as we celebrated the 150th anniversary of our congregation. About 50 of us gathered at Wyuka Cemetery on Saturday September 7th. We had great food and fellowship which also included a visit from our Regional Minister Chris Morton. During our meal, we had the chance to watch a video celebrating 150 years of ministry and mission by the congregation of FCC. After sharing our meal, most of us participated in a short tour in which we visited the graves of 6 prominent FCC people. We had a lovely printed guide which included short bios of those we remembered. After hearing their stories and being led in a prayer, we closed our time at each grave by placing a rose at the graveside. Although the weather wasn’t particularly cooperative, we made it through our walk with just a few drops of rain.

Then on Sunday we gathered for worship. General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Reverend Terri Hord Owens preached and participated in the leadership of our service. Her text was Philippians 1:1-11 from which the above text is taken. It was a moving and inspiring message. I was particularly struck by her focus on the above verse. She reminded us that our confidence is in God. Our confidence, like Paul’s, is based on the awareness that God has begun a good work among us. We don’t remember those early days (unless you’re a lot older than we think), but, as we mark this anniversary we are invited to acknowledge and celebrate those beginnings. God continues that good work amongst us now and we lay the foundation for what will follow.

As many of us gathered in the chapel after lunch with Terri and Regional Minister Chris Morton, we were invited to consider that what follows may not look like all that has already been. While this may be a frightening prospect for many of us, we are invited to have courage. We can courageously face the future because we have confidence in God. Those who founded our congregation could not have imagined what we have become today. We, like them, cannot imagine what will follow. We are not called to know the future. We are called to remain faithful and to place our confidence in God. We don’t know what this “good work” will look like, but we can be assured that God is working through us as God worked through our ancestors.

As we celebrate our past, may we truly embrace our future as we place our trust and confidence in God.

With joy and love,

Pastor Karen