By PAT JAMES

Delivered during the Offering on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021 at Haydenville Congregational Church.

We are facing another transition as we plan our farewell to Pastor Don, and I suspect there were at least as many responses to the news as there are members. My responses included dismay, fear, sadness, grief. I worried that our shrinking participation might take us to the edge of extinction at a time when churches like ours are needed more than ever. 

I followed that with some rationalization about trying other churches, frustration that we are facing our third search process in five years, and so on. I’m saying all this to say that it took me a while to remember my faith, and my belief that we are living not in human time, but in God’s timelessness where we are always held in God’s glory. I took a deep breath and said to Karin, we’re going to be okay. 

I thought back to our church’s powerful origin story, which goes back not to our original founding, but to 2005 when the 13 remaining members called a new pastor to lead their tiny church family in a building where peeling paint snowed from the ceiling, forcing them to worship in the Chancel. 

Then I thought back to the day in 2013 that Deacon Annie Turner introduce me as a new member and I was handed a certificate that said I was member number 201. It was a time when the parking lot filled on Sunday mornings, and we needed overflow seating for holiday services. We had a burgeoning Children’s Church, and we were routinely the biggest group to join the Pride March. By the time Rev. Andrea Ayvazian retired, we’d added about 50 more members, and enjoyed the enduring tradition of hand-holding ushers taking the collection each week. 

I suppose many will think of those days as our glory days, but I disagree. 

The glory days were in 2005 when that tiny congregation had faith in a vision for a church that is truly open and affirming, that brings people together to heal the climate, struggle against racism, stand for racial justice, and so much more. They planted the seeds of all that followed. Those seeds include infinite faith, lots of sweat, I imagine a few tears. And it included money. 

So here we are, on a new path. I hope we will be part of the story that future members tell about us: How our lay leaders like Megan and Carla remained steady and calm, how Trish and Shirley kept cooking and raising money, how our Susan kept singing and guiding the Council, how Darnell inspired our stewardship, how Doug and the social justice groups kept working, how our church never failed to reach out to those in need of prayer because of Nancy. They will remember how Diane kept the building going and Hennie nurtured the gardens. They will tell how we navigated several pastor transitions and a pandemic, how we became even stronger in our welcome of everyone. 

I suspect that in 2005 our 13 Saints didn’t feel like they were living the glory days as they managed that transition. As we recommit to the health and future of our church, let’s make sure that these are our glory days. Let’s plant new seeds, make new paths. We know we can do it. We always have. Let’s commit to this church family with our hearts, our souls, and our gifts. We are needed now more than ever.