How good and pleasant it is
    when God’s people live together in unity! – Psalm 133

Wow… just wow! This post is going to attempt the impossible, to try to offer just a small glimpse of the beauty, the wonder, the inspiration and the joy that marked Sunday’s 150th anniversary celebration here at HMPC in Tarboro.

It’s been a year-long initiative, which helps. The celebration team understood from the get-go that one day would not could not do justice to the 150-year legacy of witness in this community and to the world. So they planned a creative series of major events.

But there had to be a day, one day, The Day, where everything was going to come into focus and this was it. Which leads me back to my original word, “wow.” or should I say “WOW”!!

The people just poured in. They started around 10:00 and by fifteen minutes before worship we were already packed. Fun fact: did you know that it is possible to shoehorn a whole lot more people into our sanctuary than anyone every imagined?

The spirit of celebration, of belief, of love, of flat out joy was overwhelming and true and saturated with the good news and the promise that defines the Gospel.

But that is not surprising at all because this is what church is like. Worship is the coming together of God’s children in celebration and in joy. It makes no sense to say, “If church was like this every week we would never miss.” Because the good news absolutely is like this, it always has been, and it would be even more like this if you were here.

This is what community is, it is people who know they are loved and forgiven and free showing up to celebrate.

So many photographs!

I have – no big surprise – around 400 really good photographs. In this post I’m sharing just 34, but I hope you catch the spirit when you scroll through.

My photo-essay starts outside, on the church grounds in the early morning mist, then tries to share the sense of wonder as people begin to arrive and the church quickly fills up.

Praise, laughter, great music, congratulations from the mayor, greetings from the denomination, an inspirational and heartfelt message from Christopher Edmonston, all moderated by Rebekah and in her animated and enthusiastic spirit.

If you do just one thing please listen to the congregational response to the confession, as we sing “Spirit of the Living God” in one voice. The song was written, famously, by HMPC’s Rev. Daniel Iverson in this very building.

After worship we enjoyed a reception that was equal parts amazing food and love-fest reunion. I can’t say enough about the first-class top quality buffet, decorations, preparation, implementation and more the 150th Celebration Team pulled off. It was a remarkable and flawless success of the highest caliber.

Enjoy the photographs. But I urge you to consider what they represent, and God’s wide-open invitation to reconnect with your local faith community if you are currently on hiatus.

There is nothing that comes close to the joy and the goodness of this kind of community. It really is so good and beautifully pleasant when God’s people live together in such unity and in genuine love.

In love and because of love… and because Rebekah and I dearly love this community – DEREK