Pastor's Message (May 2016)

As we continue to enjoy the smell of fresh air, the season of spring continues to unfold before us. On that same note, if you have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, you may have already seen the cherry blossom trees in full bloom. The nature of life is all around us, reminding us of God’s amazing and beautiful creation.

With the month of May before us, our church calendar offers a variety of opportunities to fellowship. Many of our members and friends will also be celebrating their birthdays! Birthdays are special and deserve to be recognized. Upon each person’s birth, God dances! Likewise, on each new person who comes to faith, the angels in Heaven sing for joy! God has a plan for all of our lives, rest assured, and we are meant to be part of it - so good is He, the Lord our God. All we need to do is to enjoy and be glad in it!

One of our first upcoming events is the Women’s Retreat at the beautiful grounds of the Cloisters in Manhattan. This is a day when we will rejuvenate and enhance our spiritual gifts. This is also a day when we can celebrate God together from a holistic approach in which mind, body, and spirit come together as one - a moment in time to embrace and take in all of what only God’s Holy Spirit has to offer. As one invites the Spirit’s presence, good things come about. Be still and listen…respond and embrace, enjoy and exuberate…

Another day worth of celebrating our spiritual gifts is also Pentecost Sunday. The day of Pentecost always falls 50 days after Easter, the day marked in history as the birthday of the church when believers were multiplied in membership. Pentecost is a day appropriate to set aside for the service of confirming young candidates who have responded to God’s call. Our candidates for confirmation have been invited to participate and assist with the worship service. Each will have a part for which they feel have been a significant impact on their personal journey as individuals, as well as members of the group.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our session and parents for their heartfelt support and blessing in teaching our confirmation students. Indeed, the year at a glance has been a most rewarding time for me as their pastor.

Enjoy and embrace the beautiful season ahead in the Spirit of God!

In Christ,
Pastor Anette