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I’m back and I missed you!
Most of the first week I was off I spent at home, but that Friday Ron and I left for Pittsburgh so I could attend the Festival of Homiletics. I first attended the FoH online in 2020 when everything was locked down, and I knew I wanted to attend in person—it was that good, even online at the beginning of the pandemic before we were all comfortable with remote meetings. This year’s speaker lineup was full of great author/preachers that I admire: Brian McLaren, Willie James Jennings, Anna Carter Florence, Karoline Lewis, and Otis Moss III. That’s me with Dr. Moss in the picture below—I had to fangirl because Dr. Moss’s preaching brought me to tears, and I’ve admired his work for quite some time. Sessions were held at my alma mater Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (so wonderful to be back on campus!), Calvary Episcopal Church (great bookstore!), and East Liberty Presbyterian Church (a co-pastor there was a classmate at PTS, so it was great to catch up with her!).
I’m still wading through emails, but it is great to be back in the church office and catching up. You all know that things almost never slow down here, even when I’m gone, which says so much about your dedication to service and mission. Church staff and leaders have been speaking a lot lately about our fantastic volunteers, and how all the many hands make light work.
But we find we still have some pockets of service that need your love and attention. Volunteers for VBS, which is coming up for (only) two evenings in July, are still needed. One or two folks who can direct the mission project are essential. They will be helping the kids create a “Washaroo,” which is a useful washcloth kangaroo that will hold a bar of soap. These will be donated to the HER (Help and Emergency Response) shelter. Since all materials are provided, there’s not a lot of time-consuming work required. And the search for nurturing folks to join in the Sunday School teaching rotation this fall continues; remember, the more volunteers, the more who can share the responsibility of this critical function of our church (and that decreases the number of Sundays you’d be on the schedule!). Please see or email Joy Rowe at jrowe@gbpres.org to help. Youth, we’d love for you to assist with our children in any capacity as well!
I understand that one of our littlest Christians, Mitchell Knapp, proudly served as an usher last Sunday! He completed the attendance count sheet, put the offering envelope in the safe, and cheerily greeted worshipers upon their arrival. Thanks, Mitchell—you are awesome! One of our senior saints, Marion Neefus, has also volunteered to be a greeter in worship. That’s our youngest and one of our senior members stepping up to volunteer, setting a shining example for the rest of us to follow.
Let me share this story with you: a few weeks ago, our PEVA Commission on Ministry Liaison, Rev. Dr. Wilbur Douglass, and his wife Julie joined us for our 11 a.m. worship. Doug told me afterwards that he and Julie had attended another PEVA church a few Sundays prior and ended up leaving before worship began—because they were barely greeted! He assured me that this wasn’t the case with us, but this reminds us just how important that first face is to a visitor. If a PASTOR was put off by a poor greeting, imagine how someone returning to church might feel. Serving as a greeter/usher is a simple but crucial responsibility, and a great way to share the love of Christ. Click on the link below and sign up today!
Be encouraged, build up one another, and pursue shalom!
Lou
Rev. Dr. Lou Ventura
revventura@gbpres.org
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