This was a distinctly different way of becoming a church than most congregations. The typical models are spin-offs from an existing mother church or denominational outreach programs. I would like to recommend tonight that we honor and continue that different way of doing things throughout this Anniversary Year. Most Churches, ours included, celebrate significant Anniversaries with several events, including a gala dinner and a special service with past ministers and members in attendance, as well as a fund drive for the future. All of those things are good things for us to do, as well as the book of stories and reflections that I will be weaving together as a way to bear witness to all that God has done with and through us over the 175 years.

However, what I want to do differently this year is to ask each of the teams, not just the new Anniversary Team, to spend a significant part of each of their meetings working to develop a vision of what should be happening in their area of Church Life 10 and 25 years from now, as well as what steps we can/should be taking now to put us on the road to 2019 and 2034. Those years are significant because they allow us the pragmatic questions of 2019 (if you think that’s a long way off, consider that 1999 was not that long ago) and the visionary questions of 2034 (when I will be 84 years old and so, perhaps, I will not be your pastor).

The charge to the Anniversary Team is simple: plan a party that honors the past and prepares us for the future. The Anniversary Team will be the first team report on our Agenda each month and I expect their report to color our conversations throughout the year. The goal is to present the Consistory of January 2010 with a map, a call to take the visions and implement them. In this way, when we look back from the vantage point of 2019 and 2034, we will see 2009 as a Springboard Year that led to specific, rippling choices rather than a self-contained celebration that left us with only memories.

Are there things that we need to “do” during the year? Absolutely!

In terms of this year, I recommend that we do the following:

1. A special worship service in mid-October with a dinner that evening to celebrate the Anniversary. Invitations to any past-pastors who cannot be with us on the Anniversary Sunday, to be with us on another Sunday, to take part in the worship (preaching if possible) and to enjoy a post-worship time of reflection and story telling.
2. Fix the steeple (including more energy efficient and easily accessible lighting if possible) a project for which we now have enough money thanks to a special gift given on Christmas Eve. Which leads me to suggest that we expand the scope of the project to include the long over due storm windows repair/replacements and a new heating system.
3. Continue to assist Dave Fergesen in his response to God’s call to serve, determining how and where his gifts can best be used.
4. Continue to consider Robin Valinski’s visionary call to better and more faithful use of our facilities to provide greater access and utilization.
5. Continue to provide opportunities for service with our mission partners so that all people can find places to respond to God’s love.
6. Honor the service that Velma Samson has provided to our Church.
7. Produce a new Pictorial Directory.
8. Other visions that God will give us.