March 2023
When I first considered whether I was being called to ministry, I remember that I
wanted my life to count for something. I wanted to make a difference. I know that’s true
for people in lots of vocations. Teachers want to enrich the lives of the children. Doctors
and nurses want to offer healing to the patients in their care. Of course none of us
wants to waste our lives in meaningless drudgery. But probably all jobs come with some
share of that. I suspect it’s unavoidable.
Then there are those days, or even weeks, when it feels like everything is
happening all at once. It has been a bit like that around here, lately. A number of friends
in the congregation have been facing challenges to their health, and been in and out of
hospital. Others have lost loved ones. We have had more memorials and funerals lately
than seems possible. But we also know that it is a privilege and gift to be able to see
someone through the end of their life with grace, with encouragement, with hope.
I have also had the joy of sharing with a couple in their marriage, and look
forward to several more of those to come between now and the fall. We’ve celebrated
the sacrament of baptism with two young families, and been encouraged to see their
numbers growing from week to week. We’ve launched this year’s confirmation program,
with seven middle and high school youth exploring their faith and growing in their
relationships with each other and with God. This month they and others will take the
reins in leading our worship on Youth Sunday, March 19.
We’ve rejoiced to welcome a number of new members into our church family and
expect to do so again soon. What a gift it is to see people discovering a sense of
belonging and taking part in a shared mission. We commissioned our first group of
Congregational Care Ministers and look forward to their offering a supportive presence
and a listening ear under Kristin’s care and leadership.
Each week, we serve about 250 children through our preschool and Kid Zone
after school programs. We join with other religious communities in interfaith dialogue
and exploration, including hosting next week’s Dawn Unity Interfaith Discovery series.
We support disaster relief efforts around the world through the United Methodist
Committee on Relief, as well as working with local efforts around persons in need in our
own communities, such as Toberman Neighborhood Center in San Pedro and Project
Needs at St. Paul’s UMC in north Redondo Beach.
I am grateful to all of you – members of our church family, leaders in the
community, the teachers and staff of our educational mission, church staff, volunteers
who carry out God’s work each week. Our efforts to be faithful do count for something.
Together, we are making a difference.
Grace and peace,
