Dear Church Family                       October 2007

A visitor came to bell choir practice last Sunday (he even applauded one of our new pieces that you’ll hear November 18^th).  Beyond his appreciation of the music, he commented: “I had no idea how much work this was!”

He’s right.  Beyond the personal and time commitment, the ringers physically work.  Depending on the song, some work up a real sweat!  My response to him was, “Yes, this is team music.”  And it is.  (Bells play first on October 14.)

I watch as members help each other figure out page turns, count out rhythms that they make together when their bells share a run of notes, encourage their director, and celebrate each other’s successes.  That thrills me as a pastor almost more than the music, although the music they make can make me jump in the air, whoop, and do pirouettes, much to my back’s dismay the next day.

This team approach has been evident across the board at Immanuel this past month.  We have come together around tough stuff, some even life-changing.  The financial support has been crucial, but I’ve noticed the cooperation in tiny things, as well.

The phone rings at Bev’s house.  It’s another church member asking, “How do you spell ‘debris’”?  Bev goes to her resource, the dictionary.  A small conversation about that “s” on the word results.  Community!

Bev’s phone rings again (I know this because I’m there getting fed meatloaf while David’s away at a funeral), and it’s Patty, calling to find out what hymns Bev has chosen for next week’s service.  I’d given Patty the bulletin bones earlier, she’d called Bev with the Scripture, Bev had chosen the appropriate hymns, and now Patty was calling to get that last piece so she could put it all together.  Teamwork!

I come across Louise in the kitchen making pickles for the church bazaars and for the church people.  “How are you?” I ask.  Her response, “I’m in a pickle about pickles!”   In evacuating her house, some key utensils went missing.  Various stores cooperate with me in finding those tools (Daniel’s hardware finds me in the automotive section looking for a funnel…I receive an education.)

Exquisite flowers and vases appear on the altar.  From Louise’s garden?  No, it’s gone.  Fran figured that out and graced the altar.  She pitched in, like so many of us have, too many to mention on a page.  And that is the story of a little community called Immanuel, a little community that survives and thrives.  Blessings to each one of you who’ve pitched in with time, presence, effort, money, tools, and prayers; you define “good church.”