From the Pastor’s Heart

Have you ever been curious about something? Every morning when I am walking Louie I pass a vacant house on the corner of Blackburn and Centennial. It has been vacant for over three years (since my arrival to Sewickley) and perhaps much longer. I have watched the vines grow up over the front door and the wicker chair on the porch crumble. There are wax Christmas candles in the window. The curtains are looking dingy. On what appears to be the dinning room table is a flower arrangement that long ago dried up and in the middle of that arrangement is a flower pick with a little card. I am curious. I wonder about the owner’s story. Why has the house remained untouched all of these years? Did the person who lived there receive an arrangement of flowers when he or she was sick? Did the owner of the home die? Did he/she have to make other living arrangements?

People’s stories are interesting. Our stories help define who and what we are. During the interviewing process for a custodian we interviewed a gentleman who had listed on his resume that he had worked on a track gang. I could relate. I too worked as a laborer on a track gang. We were able to connect and share our stories.

Some on our committee were surprised to learn of my “track gang” experiences. One even said, “Pastor Russel, I can’t even imagine you working at a job where you would get your hands dirty!” Often times our stories may seem unimaginable. But they are a part of our fabric woven into our very being.

We all have our stories to share. In our individual families we tell our stories again and again. Telling our stories is one way of remembering our loved ones and keeping them close. Telling our stories makes us “family.”

God’s house should be a safe place where we can come together to share our stories as a family. Some stories we eagerly celebrate. There are other stories that give birth to pain and grief. Often times sharing these stories brings healing. Sometimes we are surprised to learn that we share a common bond because our stories are so similar.

We come to God’s house to hear God’s story, a story that includes you and me. It is a story that binds us together as brothers and sisters in Christ. It is a love story that continues in God’s love. God continually reminds us that His love story, our love story, always ends with… “and they lived happily ever after!”

I pray you will come and be a part of the greatest story ever told or lived. May your story be blessed.

Blessings,

Pastor Russel