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Why grow, why dream, why now…why not?!
As summer comes to a close the future looks as bright as ever here at FPC
Ellsworth. Our Mexican dinner for our college and military care-packages
was a rousing success; we collected over $800.00! The worship service at
Lake Wilson was again refreshing and inspirational. The Bloodmobile
returns to our church on August 11th. During the summer multiple members
and friends of our congregation have experienced much on mission trip
encounters. Progress continues on finalizing plans for our new church
library. Your commitment to stewardship remains at a healthy level. Our
Sunday Night Live service carries on after its first full year (It started in
August of 2007). Rally Sunday will be August 17th, complete with balloons
and clowns!
Further, during the next year our congregation will have the honor of
hosting and acting as an equipper/educator for Elder Ann Leiker from the
Hays Presbyterian Church. She is following her call into ministry as a
Certified Lay Pastor (CLP) and thus will be involved in multiple acts of the life
of our church. Thus I believe the coming year holds more potential than has
been seen in some time. As many of you know we recently renovated a small
portion of the south-west entrance. With few exceptions I have heard nothing
but praise about this endeavor and the resulting beautification of an all too
overlooked space. Making physical changes to a church is not easy. Many
generations have come and gone through these sacred walls and hold it
very near and dear. I also know that if everything remained as it once was,
very little would improve over time. That is why I am so pleased with and
consider this a small but significant success.
I am reminded of the parable of the mustard seed, in which Christ describes
how the kingdom of God is comparable to something as small as a tiny seed
which can grow into a bush/tree of considerable size. In the same chapter of
Mark’s Gospel Jesus says, "With the measure you use, it will be measured to
you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not
have, even what he has will be taken from him." (Mark 4:24-25) Without a
doubt these passages relate to growth. What measure are we using to
determine our future? Is it significant enough? The seeds of growth have
begun. Are we willing to foster them and allow them to germinate into
something truly remarkable? I hope so. However, I think it no coincidence
that the story of Jesus calming the storm follows both of these parables,
growth and change can be scary pursuits.
Finally, on Sunday August 24th we will have an after church pot-luck during
which we will hold what I’m calling a “Dream Session”. The purpose of this
meeting will be to speak about and put onto paper all the
pursuits/ministries/modifications that you, its members, would like to see
happen in and through our church in the coming years. Some of your ideas
will be simple; some will be grand, none will be inappropriate. It will do us
good to gather together to imagine, hope and dream for this church. I will not
make promises or time-lines in which these ideas will come to fruition, yet
once we verbalize our hopes and dreams I have no doubt that God will
honor their spirit for now and many generations to come!
Blessings to all of you,
Pastor Nathan J. Loudon
As summer comes to a close the future looks as bright as ever here at FPC
Ellsworth. Our Mexican dinner for our college and military care-packages
was a rousing success; we collected over $800.00! The worship service at
Lake Wilson was again refreshing and inspirational. The Bloodmobile
returns to our church on August 11th. During the summer multiple members
and friends of our congregation have experienced much on mission trip
encounters. Progress continues on finalizing plans for our new church
library. Your commitment to stewardship remains at a healthy level. Our
Sunday Night Live service carries on after its first full year (It started in
August of 2007). Rally Sunday will be August 17th, complete with balloons
and clowns!
Further, during the next year our congregation will have the honor of
hosting and acting as an equipper/educator for Elder Ann Leiker from the
Hays Presbyterian Church. She is following her call into ministry as a
Certified Lay Pastor (CLP) and thus will be involved in multiple acts of the life
of our church. Thus I believe the coming year holds more potential than has
been seen in some time. As many of you know we recently renovated a small
portion of the south-west entrance. With few exceptions I have heard nothing
but praise about this endeavor and the resulting beautification of an all too
overlooked space. Making physical changes to a church is not easy. Many
generations have come and gone through these sacred walls and hold it
very near and dear. I also know that if everything remained as it once was,
very little would improve over time. That is why I am so pleased with and
consider this a small but significant success.
I am reminded of the parable of the mustard seed, in which Christ describes
how the kingdom of God is comparable to something as small as a tiny seed
which can grow into a bush/tree of considerable size. In the same chapter of
Mark’s Gospel Jesus says, "With the measure you use, it will be measured to
you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not
have, even what he has will be taken from him." (Mark 4:24-25) Without a
doubt these passages relate to growth. What measure are we using to
determine our future? Is it significant enough? The seeds of growth have
begun. Are we willing to foster them and allow them to germinate into
something truly remarkable? I hope so. However, I think it no coincidence
that the story of Jesus calming the storm follows both of these parables,
growth and change can be scary pursuits.
Finally, on Sunday August 24th we will have an after church pot-luck during
which we will hold what I’m calling a “Dream Session”. The purpose of this
meeting will be to speak about and put onto paper all the
pursuits/ministries/modifications that you, its members, would like to see
happen in and through our church in the coming years. Some of your ideas
will be simple; some will be grand, none will be inappropriate. It will do us
good to gather together to imagine, hope and dream for this church. I will not
make promises or time-lines in which these ideas will come to fruition, yet
once we verbalize our hopes and dreams I have no doubt that God will
honor their spirit for now and many generations to come!
Blessings to all of you,
Pastor Nathan J. Loudon
A Message from the Pastor