Pastor's Message

October 2005

It has been good, very good. We have enjoyed nearly 8 years of growth – growth in membership, growth in our Sunday School and youth programs, growth in activities and I feel we have experienced significant Spiritual Growth. Last month in my Pastor’s Column, and in our weekly bulletin, I have asked people to reflect on what they feel has been good and what we want to be sure to continue as we move through this time of transition into the future. Here are some of the responses I have received:

We need to continue our strong emphasis on children and youth. We have had as many as 96 children, youth and adults in Sunday School in recent weeks. This level of participation is a sign of a high quality program. The same can be said for your youth program – combined Jr. and Sr. High attendance is often more than 25. We need to do all we can to continue encouraging this level of participation. Asking our children to participate in the worship service through choirs, Promotion Sunday and our Youth Service on the Sunday after Easter all demonstrate that we value our children and youth. These are things, it has been suggested, we must continue.

Several worship services have been added or revised over the last few years and I have received requests that we continue these services. First, and perhaps most earnestly, several people have asked that we do everything possible to continue the 10:30 worship service. We should also continue our Easter Sunrise Service in cooperation with Zion Lutheran Church, the Totenfest Service and all three of the Christmas Eve Services. We should continue to enhance our Sunday worship services with the creative use of music by Bev and the special ensembles that she organizes. And we should continue the special worship experience for people at Pleasant View by offering the Quiet Communion Service on the Monday after each of our regular communion services.

Other activities that members have requested we continue include our weekly Bible Study, our monthly Fellowship Breakfast and our Lenten Supper and Lenten Worship program. If you have any other suggestions, please fill out the form below or contact Rev. Dieterly.

The next step is to think about future direction. What are the things we need to do in the future? What are some of the new programs we should offer? We have discussed doing an evening contemporary service and we hope to do at least one service before my departure, just so we can have a feel for what this is like. Some discussion has taken place regarding an Associate Pastor. A church with 600 members should be taking steps to add an Associate and in fact many smaller churches in the Lancaster Association do have an Associate Pastor. What steps could we take to begin moving in this direction? As you dream about St. Paul's UCC 5 or 10 years from now, what would you like to see? Would you share your thoughts with the Pastor, or in writing on the form below? Please remember to keep your thoughts positive.

Even as we look back and rejoice over all the blessings God has given to our congregation over the past years, let us also look ahead, dream of our future, and pray for God’s continued blessings.