A Word from Pastor Nathan

Wow! What a beautiful and meaningful time of worship we experienced on Sunday as we
regathered. I’m still processing the day, but worship exceeded my best hopes and expectations. The Spirit of God surprised, which is just like her.

Our staff worked tirelessly in preparation for Sunday. Phil made sure our building was clean and ready. Diana double-checked everything, made to-do lists, positioned supplies in the appropriate places, and printed worship guides, which we haven’t had to do in 62 weeks. Evan orchestrated and recorded the most wondrous music so that even masks couldn’t hinder our melodic hallelujahs. Children had worship activity bags because of Debbie Walker’s creative imagination, and everyone received a home-baked and Pentecost-themed cupcake from Debbie’s (new) kitchen. Brenda helped arrange new gift bags for returning friends and visitors. What a day!

The commitments of our members enhanced worship in numerous ways. Barbara Terrell coordinated the beautiful flower arrangements in the chancel. Megan & Marty Rowe helped arrange artwork throughout the building. Megan suggested the system by which the “swoops” are hung in the sanctuary, and Marty and I installed them. Debby Willets, Lauri Warfield, and Marty created the pew ties. Mary Lou Petersen and Sandy Rieth provided a new red table cloth and a drape for the cross.

Did you hear that the carillon rings again? This was yet another surprise for the day. The Atwood-Stroud-Vickers family donated funds in memory of Lynda M. Atwood for the church to design and build a carillon specific to Washington Avenue. Every hour between 9am-6pm, it rings the chorus of the hymn tune WASHINGTON AVENUE, and it plays a hymn at noon and 6pm, too. On Sundays at 9:29, the bells peal and call us to worship.

AND YOU!!! You were here! In fact, so many of you attended, we ran out of worship guides and had to open the balcony! And if you weren’t yet ready to attend in person, you attended online. Sunday was the first time for us to have in-person worship AND an online premiere. Not only did we have an awesome in-person attendance, but our online viewership from Sunday is also on par with (and even ahead of) past weeks when we were online only.

Wow! Were you surprised on Sunday? I was, but surprise is always the outcome that follows when Pentecost happens.