From the Pastor's Desk

Happy 4th of July week! Yep, this is a day late because of the holiday yesterday. I hope it was a good one for you, and that you got to reflect at least a little on the many wonderful freedoms we enjoy as a nation.




Along with that thought, in light of this past weekend's worship, remember, freedom isn't just about doing whatever we please no matter who it hurts or what the consequences. That is not freedom. That is only bondage to a different, negative, destructive kind of 'yoke-mate'. Like the great theologian Bob Dylan (haha…you can laugh here…but listen to the truth in this) said in one of his songs from the late '70s, "It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody." The good news is that God sent Jesus, whose "yoke is easy and whose burden is light" to be our yoke-mate. Being yoked to Him, means loving, trusting and serving God and loving the neighbor, and walking with one who can help us bear the heaviest of burdens with faith, hope, courage, strength and peace. In that there is true freedom!



So, as God's free and yoked together folks, when you come to worship this coming weekend, the first steps in our construction process will have begun! The word is that the construction fences will be going up later this week and demolition of the existing walkway and narthex area will begin by next week.



What that means is that getting into church will no longer be through the familiar entrances. Instead, the main doors will be on the north side of the church (the side where the organ and choir were this past winter). To get there, you will need to come in from one of 3 directions (many of you come this way already): 1) down the sidewalk from the kitchen/nursery area, OR 2) down the sidewalk at the north entrance (between room 4 and the Youth Room) OR 3) via the sidewalk going to the offices, near the mailbox on the east side of the classroom buildings.



If that all sounds confusing, just come and there will be signs. Also, there will be benches near those entrances and wheel chairs with helpers nearby in case the walk is too far for anyone. Just don't let a little extra walk keep you from worship. If the early Christians worshiped in catacombs and in secret for fear of being crucified or thrown to the lions, and if people in some countries yet today move from home to home to worship in secret for fear of persecution (really!) I think we can put up with a little inconvenience for a short time until the construction is over.



After all, what better way to celebrate our freedom to worship, which was one of the founding principles of our country, than to gather together for worship, either on Saturday at 6pm, or Sundays at 9:30am (through and including the Labor Day weekend), even if it takes a little extra effort to make it happen. You'll be all the better witness to your faith for doing it!



See you in church! Pastor Jack Diehl +