The Journey: A Year Later

One year ago Fellowship Presbyterian Church was at the beginning of a journey. We had no idea how it would go much less come out. On June 1st will mark the one year anniversary of our Interim Pastor, Joel Long and a little over one year into our journey from one pastor to another.

Joel has been a blessing to our congregation. He has brought in an eye that not only sees our shortcomings, but an eye on how to improve those shortcomings and an eye for our strong points and how to make them stronger. He has pointed out with love and care what we need to do to improve our church and how to do it. With a year gone by, we have seen a reformation of sorts take place in our church.

While we have seen some members drift away during this time, we have seen members who drifted away come back. We have met new friends and are learning how to improve relations with members and friends we have. While life continues to be no bed of roses yet, the potential of our church is becoming clearer and clearer by the day. We are on the ground floor of a new and wonderful church we are now building!!

While our usual congregational size is smaller than it once was, it has stabilized and we are now seeing more visitors than in the past. We are also seeing more members pick up the mantle of responsibility and the church is functioning more like a team without always looking to the minister all the time.

Looking over the last 12 months, it has become obvious that we needed a change but we couldn't see it. While we still do not have an idea who the new minister will be and won't for at least another 6 to 8 months, finances have stabilized as well. Even though money continues to be a problem like every other church in the country with this Recession, we are paying all of our bills with income through the normal channels. This is a great blessing.

While the "Fellowship canvas" is still blank, the paint is out and opened and the brushes are about to be brought out. The artist is formulating is plans. The PNC or Pastor Nominating Committee will be in place by early summer. The remaining work to calling a permanent minister will begin in earnest. At that point, the painting that will be Fellowship Presbyterian Church of the future will start to take shape. The foundation to do the work required for this next phase is in place and appears to be a strong foundation. We are now beginning to put the pieces of the "who are we" puzzle into place. Once that is completed this summer, the PNC can start to interview possible candidates. We have been told to be prepared for an onslaught of applications once the window opens. We have been told by Salem Presbytery that this area and our church is "prime real estate" to ministers looking for a change themselves.

What one year ago looked depressing and problems never ending. Today looks much brighter and even sunny places. The only problem now is, "HURRY UP!"

But then, you can't hurry God. He will place the right person with us, in his own good time.

Today's Lesson

I thought this had a good message and was worth sharing. What a lesson we can learn from this one.........

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, The young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.

"That laundry is not very clean", she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap." Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, The young woman would make the same comments. About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a Nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

"Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this..

"The husband said, "I got up early this morning and Cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

Little Things Make A BIG Difference

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.

"Leave me alone," he growled... To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader.

Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone.

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."
Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived.

The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference."

She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a laugh. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee
for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent.... Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She
stared at him intently.

"Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."
"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office."

She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet. If you ever need anything, my door is always open to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he asked.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus.... He led me to you."


Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said..

"On the contrary, Ms.. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you... I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And...And thank you for the coffee."

If you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing.

If you have missed some of my emails, you might have missed a laugh.

But, if you have missed knowing my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, you have missed everything in the world.

Have a Wonderful Day. May God Bless You Always and don't forget that when you "cast your bread upon the waters," you never know how it will be returned to you. God is so big He can cover the whole world with his Love and so small He can curl up inside your heart.

When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and let go.

Only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He'll catch you when you fall, or He'll teach you how to fly!

The power of one sentence! God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work in your favor. If you believe, send it. If you don't believe, delete it.

God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close.

THE SNEEZE

I received this as an email from a friend a little while ago; and thought it was nice enough to share. - John Fair
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They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing .. and the traditional caps, they looked almost . as grown up as they felt.

Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.

This class would NOT pray during the commencements----not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.

The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine.....until the final speech received a standing ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, - - - - - - -and then, it happened.

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All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!

The student on stage..... simply looked at the audience and said, 'GOD BLESS YOU, each and every one of you!' And he walked off stage...

The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval.

Isn't this a wonderful story?

GOD BLESS YOU!!!!

Happy Easter

How appropriate for this Easter Weekend. This came to me as an E-Mail from a good friend last night. John Fair
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Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.

One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"

Beverly said, "Why yes I do."

Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?"

Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"

Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!"

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"

Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter."

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you."

Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit pr praying for me, it won't work. I'm not interested."

Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family." Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen," and curtly walked out of the room.

Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you."

One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day"

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, "Do you believe in Easter but you have never asked me."

Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked." Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.. Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?"

Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life "Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels ..

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday."

Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!" Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter.

When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"

Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where e two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

"Father, bless this person in whatever it is that You know he or she may be needing this day"

Hospitality

I had said my blogging time here was over, but I am going to add this one as a topic appropriate for our day. In today’s reading from the Rule of Benedict, the subject is hospitality, a major challenge for the church of today. For Fellowship, we respond by participating in the Interfaith Hospitality Network. We welcome the guests to “our place” for a week, four times a year. The numbers of those who need a welcome are overwhelming, however, when we take a look at the homeless, the newcomers to this country, the ones who have no helping hands except for churches and organizations designed to provide temporary services.

This week I attended the day-long Legislative Seminar sponsored by our NC Council of Churches and learned of the almost unsolvable concerns of immigrants, especially Latinos, who are given so little in terms of a welcome from the general public. We enjoy their labors but we don’t seem to enjoy their presence, judging by the efforts to get as many as possible back to their home countries, however that may be accomplished – either legally or illegally. We are reluctant to educate them or train them or raise their economic situation, all of which would in the long run make them contributing members of our society. I think we have a different standard when we read our scriptures, which call for us to “welcome the stranger.” We too once were strangers, or our ancestors were, for all were immigrants to this country except for the native peoples, and they too may come from immigrant stock of several millenia ago.

St. Benedict made hospitality a prime standard for his group of monks. As Sister Joan Chittister comments in today’s reading from the Rule of Benedict, which addresses this matter of hospitality: “Hospitality in a culture of violence and strangers and anonymity has become the art of making good connections at good cocktail parties. We don't talk in elevators, we don't know the security guard's name, we don't invite even the neighbors in to the sanctuary of our selves. Their children get sick and their parents die and all we do is watch the comings and goings from behind heavy blinds. Benedict wants us to let down the barriers of our hearts so that this generation does not miss accompanying the innocent to Calvary as the last one did. Benedict wants us to let down the barriers of our souls so that the God of the unexpected can come in.”
She adds this comment, “ . . . hospitality is clearly meant to be more than an open door. It is an acknowledgement of the gifts the stranger brings.”

We are charged to greet the stranger with our own hospitality, whether or not we are Benedictines. We are Christians, and we are the Church, and “a charge to keep have [we],” as the old hymn tells us. In the coming weeks, we also can remember to welcome the Interim Pastor who is charged to help Fellowship understand who and what we are and where we are going. We may find that our doors can be opened wider and more often, in order to acknowledge the strangers’ gifts. We may find that kernel of faith within us that nudges us into a great spirit of hospitality, the way we have been challenged to do by our risen Lord. It is time “to let down the barriers of our souls” and let the God of the unexpected enter in.

Transition, View From a Session Member

By Charles Layno, Class of 2009 Session

As a Session Member, I have a unique view of the transition that our church is currently in. One thing I have come to learn is that we are not the only church to have gone through this and we are not the only church going through it today. We are one of many and we have lots of help from many corners and people you would never expect. This transition is certainly disconcerting but after 30 years with the same pastor, that is to be expected. Change is never easy, but is always inevitable in some form or shape. It is the only constant in God's Universe other than his love for us. In reality, it seems we are where we need to be. It is where God wants us to be. You can't fight that no matter what you do. That is not to say this will be a bed of roses. It will not. But nothing that is good and right comes easy. Don't believe me? Check your Bible. Ask Jonah, Moses, Noah, Ester, John, Luke, Matthew, Jacob or any one of a several dozen characters. Even Jesus.

From my vantage, and it seems many others, our future is quite bright. As Rev Jim Rissmiller Associate Presbyter of the East Neighborhood has said to us on several occasions since mid February when all this began, we have a blank canvas to work with. What kind of church do we want to be going forward? We are on the ground floor of a whole new Fellowship Presbyterian Church. No one sees the fundamentals that have made Fellowship the wonderful, loving church we have all come to enjoy and love changing. No one I have talked to wants that to change and Session doesn't want to see that change either. That has been stated in Session several times over the last few months. It is who we are. But as Jim has also said, we need to be open to new ideas. Just because things have always been done a certain way in the past doesn't mean it is the best way moving forward.

That is why it will take twelve to fourteen months to call our new pastor and to have them in our pulpit. A long time indeed, but a necessary time to do what is needed to ensure we call the pastor God is preparing for us now. My guess is our new pastor doesn't even know they are being called yet. Like us, not only is God preparing them for us, He is preparing us for them.

And how is God preparing us? He is preparing us with the search for the Interim Pastor who will help our church to be sure we have the foundation to not only move forward, but to succeed, not only physically or financially, but more important, spiritually. What we the congregation wants to do must mesh with our Called Pastor. No one wants to go through this again next year. That is why we will not even tell the Presbytery what we are looking for in a pastor until after the Interim Pastor has been selected and working in our church for some amount of time to help us determine what it is we want to do. Right now we are so unsure what we want to do with the departure of Gray that we must have time to reflect what the good parts of our church are and to keep them and what we want our church to become. That is happening now.

Rev Margie Boyd, Associate Pastor Guilford Park Presbyterian Church has been a real blessing to many of us on Session. Guilford Park just installed their new Called Pastor first of the year, so she has been more than willing to answer our never ending questions on this whole process.
She has also been available to Moderate our Session meetings since we technically do not have a Moderator with Gray's departure and the Interim Pastor not having been installed yet. It is nice to have someone who is very familiar with the process sitting in the cheap seats so to speak, with us. She has also done some cheer leading to the Session when things looked pretty bleak a couple of times. Having just been through it, she knew just what to say to get us focused back on the task at hand, no matter what it has been. So from this Session member, a big thank you and a God Bless you Margie. You will never know the full extent you have helped us.

Our Transition Team is searching for our Interim Pastor with post haste, but it is deliberate post haste. They need your prayers, everyday. They need you to pray for them BY NAME everyday. The Transition Team is made up of a good cross section of our church with Jim Spain and Donna Steele representing the Session; Linda Kershner representing you, the congregation; Mark Kirstner of the Finance Committee; Kate Platz of the Staff and Wil Gibble as an ex officio member. They are tasked to find our Interim and to bring them to Session for approval and they want to have them in place around the first of May, if all goes according to plan. At this point, we on Session do not even know who they are looking at. We do know that they have interviewed several good candidates and are moving towards a recommendation. We will find out whom they recommend when they bring us the name, whenever that happens. Once that happens, we will start to move toward finding our Called Pastor.

The same will happen when the PNC (Pastoral Nominating Committee), an acronym you will be hearing more about in the coming months, is selected by you, the congregation and finds our Called Pastor and brings that name to you, the congregation at a called Congregational Meeting to vote on. We in Session will find out who that is at the same Congregational Meeting.
We will NOT have an inside track on the candidate so we will find out when you do! Lots of procedural things to do between now and then, but when you strip it all down, it is just a mechanism to be sure we can continue to do God's work within our community.

And speaking of doing God's work, we still have a very vibrant congregation. Rev Jean Rodenbough and her husband Charlie are still here doing what they do best, spreading the Word and being the wonderful shepherds to us and being the wonderful friends of the church that they have always been and Fellowship is the better for it and we thank God for sending them. And those of us on Session are always here to do what is needed to help minister to you, the congregation, no matter what it is so please feel free to call on us. As has been pointed out to us several times by different people, we the members are just as important if not more than any installed minister. The church is not just a minister; it is all of us, ministering to each other and to spread the Word of God to others. Without all of us, congregational members and Session, there is no church. I am seeing new people joining our worship services on Sunday's and I still see the same wonderful members in the pews worshiping God in our Sanctuary. We still have our Mission Programs such as IHN, macaroni, Hearts and Hands and the food bank drives just to mention a few. We still have our Christan Education Program and our wonderful music program. Our Fellowship Schools are still in session for the foreseeable future. Church life still goes on.

As long as we have followers of God, coming to God's house, to worship Him and to do His work, I have no worries about Fellowship Presbyterian Church and I hope you are as excited about our future as I am. I can't wait!