A message from Pastor Travis 10/1/20

Dear church family and friends,

Traditionally, London has set aside 13 visual corridors around the city in which no building can be built that obstructs the view of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is atop Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the city. Preserving these visual corridors has never been a law. Rather, it serves as a guideline for those charged with the responsibility of approving new buildings. As a result, several of the city’s skyscrapers have had their shape altered and their planned height lowered. However, the tradition of honoring these visual corridors is beginning to weaken. One official recently said that some buildings, like St. Paul’s Cathedral, have seen their prominence and importance decline. Other buildings, like skyscrapers dedicated to commerce, have seen their prominence and importance increase. 

It is true. At one time the tallest buildings in most towns were houses of worship. This is not the case anymore. Now, we build temples and cathedrals to commerce and industry. I wonder what this says about our priorities. I wonder if this says something about the gods our nations worship. Financial security is important. Providing for our needs and our families’ needs is and should be a high priority. By the same token, there is nothing wrong with wanting to live comfortably. We all want to be able to take nice vacations and enjoy the fruit of our labor. We want to be able to sleep soundly at night, not worrying about how we will make ends meet. Yet, anytime tragedy strikes we are reminded that there are things that are more important than money. Whenever someone we love dies, we laud their loving and generous spirits, not their net worth. When life feel overwhelming and our way seems unclear, it to the God that we honor in our houses of worship that we turn, not the gods of commercial enterprises.

During this pandemic, we have been reminded that it is our faith community, even when we are absent from our building, that give us strength and offers us care. Our church takes this responsibility seriously and continues to seek ways to respond to the needs of the spirit. We continue to stand for justice and care for our siblings. We continue to be communities of worship, prayer, study, and service. 
This is only possible because of the time, talent, gifts, and service of our dedicated members. Thank you for your faithfulness during a difficult time. Thank you for your hard work and care. Thank you for the hours you have dedicated to our ministry and the resources you have provided us. This church is here because of those faithful people who have come before us. It is here because of the dedication of those who serve now. It will be a bright beacon in the future because of your faithfulness. What a wonderful congregation we have! When the day comes that our bell tower is eclipsed by the buildings around it, the ministry of our church will still be seen and felt by the people in our communities and around the world. 

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Travis