The Month of Lasts
It was the first Sunday of April, it was Soup’n Buns Sunday. The people were crowded in the fellowship hall, sipping their coffees and teas, having conversations of days gone by or days to come. I stood up on a chair, like I always do on this Sunday, to speak a blessing over the food and fellowship we were about to enjoy. I asked someone to whistle for me, to get everyone’s attention… and in that moment, I realized, this would be the last time I do this at Maranatha. And it sunk in … this would be the first of many ‘lasts’
.
April will hold many lasts for me: Youth Group Discipleship gathering, Council meeting, Elder’s meeting, Deacon’s meeting, Community Dinner, Movie Night, Family Dinner, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, … to name a few.
This past Sunday, I baptized a great-niece of mine; Harper. It will be the last baptism I celebrate with Maranatha, and it caused me to remember the first baptism I was ever involved in: I was still a seminary student and unable to perform the sacrament myself. My mentor Pastor invited me to do everything but the water :) That day, fourteen years ago, we baptized another great-niece of mine, Brooke, who came to Calgary from Edmonton to witness the baptism of her cousin. And then it hit me … I would have many more ‘firsts’ at HOPE Fellowship!
April 30th will be the last time I celebrate Lord’s Supper with Maranatha, and then I travel to HOPE. And May 21 will be the first time I officially preach at HOPE as your pastor, and on that day, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. Truly, a Sunday of firsts! I look forward to being in your midst.
- Dale
It was the first Sunday of April, it was Soup’n Buns Sunday. The people were crowded in the fellowship hall, sipping their coffees and teas, having conversations of days gone by or days to come. I stood up on a chair, like I always do on this Sunday, to speak a blessing over the food and fellowship we were about to enjoy. I asked someone to whistle for me, to get everyone’s attention… and in that moment, I realized, this would be the last time I do this at Maranatha. And it sunk in … this would be the first of many ‘lasts’
.
April will hold many lasts for me: Youth Group Discipleship gathering, Council meeting, Elder’s meeting, Deacon’s meeting, Community Dinner, Movie Night, Family Dinner, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, … to name a few.
This past Sunday, I baptized a great-niece of mine; Harper. It will be the last baptism I celebrate with Maranatha, and it caused me to remember the first baptism I was ever involved in: I was still a seminary student and unable to perform the sacrament myself. My mentor Pastor invited me to do everything but the water :) That day, fourteen years ago, we baptized another great-niece of mine, Brooke, who came to Calgary from Edmonton to witness the baptism of her cousin. And then it hit me … I would have many more ‘firsts’ at HOPE Fellowship!
April 30th will be the last time I celebrate Lord’s Supper with Maranatha, and then I travel to HOPE. And May 21 will be the first time I officially preach at HOPE as your pastor, and on that day, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. Truly, a Sunday of firsts! I look forward to being in your midst.
- Dale
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