“Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 

Luke 1:13-14

That is a lot of firsts. But they are all important. This is, after all, only the fourth “first time” for us: Trinity in Pensacola, First in Brandon, Wake Forest Presbyterian, and now Howard Memorial here in Tarboro. More than that, however, it is the people. Always so hospitable, so generous, so authentic, so welcoming, and so full with open hearts for God’s creative initiatives.

I have just two things, then, as we wake up this morning and head over to the church for the opening salvo of Advent anticipation and Christmas joy.

Party Party; Buzz Buzz!

First (and I have no photographs to go with this) the beautiful party given to welcome Rebekah Friday evening.

The point was for us to meet and greet the elders, their spouses, and the church staff. The result was so much more. Both Rebekah and I felt a genuine spirit of faith and grace and purpose and welcome.

There is an electric “buzz” in the air here at Howard Memorial Presbyterian Church – there is no other way to describe it. The Spirit is absolutely at work in this place,

And, I have to say something I have touched on several times over the past few years: It doesn’t matter if the community is large or small, if the congregation is new or historic, or if the local area is saturated with too many churches or very much in need of more; regardless, there is always room for – and need for – a positive, enthusiastic, Christ-centered body of Presbyterian believers.

There were around 40 of us at Jerome and Lindy’s gracious home, and Rebekah and I did our best to talk with everyone individually. It was the perfect introduction to the leadership team here in Tarboro, and I can honestly say I enjoyed every conversation.

My assessment is that the people of this congregation have a strong, healthy sense of what it means to love God, and to live as intentional followers of Jesus. Their challenge is the same one we all face – how to translate and to communicate that very real faith in a way that is more invitational and relevant and, in a seldom used word, “winsome” in a town with more than enough non church-going residents to fill every seat in every pew.

People who need to hear the Good News:

Maybe, rather than “non church-going”, I should say “People who need to embrace the Good News of Jesus.”

Not just filling the pews but to live as life-charged witnesses to the awesome transformational power of the Gospel.

Rebekah and I are both very excited about today. Stay tuned for more as we move into this season of light and hope and grace and love – DEREK