We have been in a time of pastoral transition for over two years now. In addition, we (like every church) have been in a liminal time of wondering, praying, and thinking about what post-pandemic church looks like here at ELPC. Amid all that transition, lots of work, change, shifts, adaptions, growth and fruitfulness has been afoot. You, the church, has been working to live out our church’s mission, listen, and discern God’s leading, praying, leading, serving, and being God’s people within our church walls and outside of them. So, I was encouraged by a few of you, to share some of my observations (taken from my June 9 sermon) of how I see God’s Spirit at work in and through you, ELPC.
- I see people stepping up into formal and informal leadership and service throughout the church and beyond these walls.
- I see people finding rest and restoration for their weary souls in and through regular practices of prayer, contemplation, meditation, retreats, and yoga.
- I see new people every week, entering our doors and being served and empowered through the Chapel Market—It Is BOOMING!
- I see un-churched, de-churched young adults sitting in meditation every Tuesday for an hour in our Chapel.
- I see our staff team, supporting and encouraging one another, laughing and praying together, and chipping in on work together, regardless of whether it is on our job descriptions.
- I see a Session that is focused, communicating in a healthy manner, leaning into hard topics and seeking to listen to the Spirit about the shape of ELPC for right now and into the next chapter.
- I see ELPC’s flagship LQBTQIA+ Ministry growing and deepening with record participation in PRIDE the first weekend of June.
- I see record numbers of infant baptisms in the last year, amid celebrating Ms. Kay Shissler’s 60 years of teaching kids.
- I see a Pastoral Nominating Committee that has tirelessly and prayerfully listened to you, one another, and now dozens of pastoral candidates.
- I see Casa San José and Hope Academy partnering to teach performing arts lessons to children who speak Spanish as their first language.
- I see conversations among many of our committees seeking to discern where God is giving energy and fruit, and what may need to be let go of and pruned back, so new life may emerge.
- I see and hear amazing music, voices, and joyful noises unto the Lord every Sunday in worship, with a 10-year partnership with the Brass Roots.
- I see our church seeking to pursue racial justice and making acts of repair through the lives of African American scholarships in our neighborhood schools.
- I see remarkable, new confirmed youth speaking wisely, winsomely, and prophetically about the personal faith journeys and how they want ELPC to continue to be a place of radical hospitality.
- I see people stepping up and using their gifts, passions and voices, to teach, guide, lead, instruct, and inspire all of us in a variety of manners and settings.
- I see more members of the church being less staff dependent and coming to help, clean, paint, maintain, and sustain the physical realties of our beautiful church building.
- I see our deacons and other members endeavoring to figure out how to best care for some of our older and homebound members—by visiting, praying, and serving them communion.
What do you see? What do you hear? Was there anything in that listing that stirs in your heart to join or participate in?
“Friends, let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.”—Galatians 6:9–10).
—Pastor BJ