Senior Pastor Emeritus, Martha Rowlett

I am back in North Carolina after a whirlwind trip to celebrate with RHUMC the beautiful new buildings and to reminisce on the 25th anniversary of completing the sanctuary. We flew north from LAX to Portland and spent two nights in Salem, Oregon visiting Willamatte University, the new home of our United Methodist Claremont School of Theology where Bob taught for 25 years and I earned my doctorate. I learned that Methodist missionaries established Willamette before Oregon became a state, and that it is the oldest higher education institution west of the Mississippi. The school gave the new state land for the capital building which was built across the street from the school. The university also has a law school and a school of business administration. Then we drove down the middle of the state on I-5 through smoke. We spent four nights in San Francisco visiting friends before flying home. The trip was a delight and I appreciated your invitation to come. Being in Rolling Hills is always a special kind of homecoming. My only disappointment was learning that a visit to Muir Woods on our last day in CA was cancelled because power was shut down in Marin County for fire danger. I did not get to hug a redwood! But I bring back with me a powerful impression of the potential for ministry to the community and to the world that the RHUMC congregation possesses. You have demonstrated capacity to hear God’s call to do what God is calling you to do with what you are and with what you have. I wait eagerly to learn what God is calling you to be and do with all that you now have and who you now are.