This past Tuesday, our church’s Boards of Elders and Deacons (including newly elected officers) took a walk through the church. And as we walked, we stopped in nearly every room and reflected, "What happens in here? Who uses this room?" And then we prayed in each room.

For me, it was an experience not unlike the first time I visited the Grand Canyon. I’d seen pictures of the canyon all my life, big beautiful National Geographic pictures that sought to give a sense of its size and scale. But when we first drove up to the South Rim, walked over to the edge, and looked out over the vastness and grandeur that is the Grand Canyon, we reacted the way almost everyone must: "Wow! I never realized it was this big, this beautiful."

Most of us (elders and deacons) are aware of the various ways God is using North Church. But as we walked through the building and paused in each place and began to list the classes, meetings, activities, events, people, ministry, that are happening there, just this year, we began to feel a little like being at the Grand Canyon the first time: "Wow, we didn’t realize there was this much, this important going on." Sunday School classes, AA groups, community organization meetings, counseling sessions, worship, rehearsal, baptisms, weddings, youth group events, Summer Reading programs, theater group rehearsals and auditions, concerts, prayer meetings, emergency assistance, fellowship meals, community dinners, childcare, painting projects, Session meetings, Deacon’s projects, Bible studies, basketball leagues, voting... the list goes on. And that list represents literally several hundred church members, friends, neighbors, vendors, clients, service people, children, teachers, staff, and who knows who else, whose lives are touched in some way here at North Church each week. You are most likely, either directly or indirectly, one of those people.

When you visit the Grand Canyon, no matter how much time you allot, it’s not enough. I set aside 20 minutes for our Prayer Walk through the church. It stretched to 30, and that was bunching a bunch of rooms together, popping our heads into them as we walked by and praying for them in the next place. And even that felt like we were only getting our first glimpse of the marvelous and manifold ways God is at work among and through us.

Thanks for being part of that-- for making it possible; by your presence, your commitment, your spiritual hunger and openness, your gifts of time and talents and treasure.

This Sunday is Pentecost, sometimes thought of as the "Birthday" of the Church, when the Holy Spirit was unleashed in the Church, depositing powerful gifts of ministry, boldness, vision, and grace which thrust the Church into world which Christ came to save. This Sunday we celebrate some of what God has been doing among us as we thank Sunday School teachers and students, recognize graduates, install and ordain new elders and deacons, and present our pledges as part of the offering of our lives to God. It’s evidence that Spirit of God is still powerfully at work in the church. And if you’re here on Sunday, you may well find yourself saying (again, maybe), "Wow, I didn’t realize it was this grand!"

Grateful for God’s grandeur displayed through you,

Pastor Erwin