From the Pastor – September 2024
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 7:7
I am amazed at how much this church does in so many areas and in such a short period of time. It is a funny thing that because of our good Midwestern manners, we don’t often talk about the good that we are involved in. So, a lot of our good work goes unspoken. But, the work goes on, service is given in Jesus name, and the world is a better place. We work to build the church of today and the future church.
Some things are pretty obvious- like the solar panels. Our church energy use is now mainly powered by the sun. This is a benefit to the church in several ways. Every dollar that we spend on solar panels means a savings of three dollars over the life of the system. More importantly, the system will save our church more than $5000 a year, and nearly pay for itself in cheaper monthly electricity bills. Maybe the most important point is that the energy that they generate is clean. So, we are doing our part to make the world a healthier place for those who come after us. Finally, it has been a real community builder. We have churches all over the state who want to do exactly the same project we just completed that call asking how we did it and did it so fast. This project is good for us; it is even better for the future of our church.
The church of today and the church of the future have been the themes that have been driving another project. Quietly, a small group of people have been working diligently to find a new Family Ministry Director. Young people have always been at the core of our mission at UPCC. Why? Because they are the future of the church. But they are also the present of the church. For this position, we had a number of very good applicants. Of the three people that we interviewed, each of them would have done a fabulous job. The committee had a very tough task selecting one person from the group, but they did. And things have worked out better than even our wildest hopes. If you have not met Laurel Harnisch and her beautiful family, you will soon.
In the three weeks that Laurel has been orienting to this new position, we have watched a steady rise in attendance. Last Wednesday, we hit the high water mark in my tenure if not ever. We welcomed 27 young people and the accompanying adults. My son asked me a question after this last meeting. Joseph asked, “Dad, how long does it take 27 young people and some adults to eat 10 pizzas and a few dozen cookies?” I answered, “I dunno son. How long does it take for 27 young people and some adults to eat 10 pizzas and a few dozen cookies?” He said, “too fast! It was gone before I got there!” In the end, that is a very good problem to have. It means we are meeting new people, growing and serving. (I fed Joe at Culvers on the way home, and everyone was happy.)
The shape of family ministry will grow and change in the next months and years. We do a pretty good job of evolving to take advantage of emerging opportunities. It is an exciting journey for the church and community. Events are open to all people who want to grow closer to God and to their neighbors. Laurel loves God and loves people. Family ministry helps us build the church of today and the future church. I invite you to come and take part.
We have been studying how to remodel the fellowship facilities at UPCC. Many feel that we could be better served by updating both the kitchen and dining room. That is a bigger question than we can take on in a newsletter. But I say let’s look not only to our own needs but prepare for the future church. What kind of facilities will we need in 5, 10, or 20 years? How can we prepare for those people today?
So, in the end, I say- Wow!!! What a summer! It has been a busy one for the church. We have watched in hope for God to move. Now, that hope has come to fruition in a number of ways. I hope that it has been a good and spirit-filled summer for you as well. I believe we would all like to hear about that. Round-up Sunday is Sept 8th, and the first day of Sunday school is Sept 15th. Come and share about your summer!
Grace and peace, Pastor Jim