“How Can I Keep From Singing!”
So here is my challenge for today: Saturday was our Presbytery meeting and – as many of you know – I serve as official photographer for such events. My job is to capture the spirit of the day in a meaningful narrative. Not in words – as I do through my writing – but via images.
The difficulty is that in taking almost 500 photographs my percentage of great images is too high. I have probably 300 that are worth sharing. I won’t, of course, so instead I plan to exercise editorial discretion and send in around 200 that tell the story. That’s fine, because it’s up to the Presbytery how many they end up sharing on their site. My issue is how to share with you, here in my blog.
Presbyterians love the Good News of Jesus!
The Presbytery of New Hope is a wonderful story and it’s story worth sharing. But I don’t want to overwhelm you with pictures. So I will begin with worship and wait to share a little from the business end another day.
Smithfield Presbyterian is a great church, full with hospitality and people with generous hearts. But they knew they couldn’t fit such a gathering in their small sanctuary. So – and this is a great witness to how important it is to love and respect our brother and sister denominations – the Baptist Church next door let us use their sanctuary.
I always enjoy meetings of Presbytery. There is such passion, and commitment, and belief, and faithfulness to the Good News. The gathering of believers, and the business of the church, is placed very deliberately in the context of worship. Hymns of praise, prayers of love and adoration, testimonies to grace. What a joy and an inspiration to be a member of the Presbyterian Church and to be present at worship!
I have selected a few photographs that help capture the spirit of the first part of the day. Enjoy them, and then be inspired to head to church yourself. At Wake Forest Presbyterian Church we gather for worship at 9:00 and then 11:15. You are always welcome.
In love, and because of love – DEREK
Derek Maul: Words, Photographs, and Food for the Journey 