"The Next 75 Years"

What a wonderful Anniversary Celebration we had on October 25. It was such a joy to watch as Covenant members and friends across the decades reconnected with each other, and watching their faces “light up” as they did so.

A humongous thank you to everyone who helped prepare for the celebration by decorating the bulletin boards, finding the pictures to put on the bulletin boards, working with the caterers, setting up the day before and cleaning up afterwards, preparing for the worship service, arranging for the special music, making an effort to seek out and invite Covenant members and friends from out-of-town, and so much more. 

Now that the celebration of the 75^th Anniversary has formally concluded, what next? What about the next 75 years? Can we imagine the celebration of Covenant’s 150^th Anniversary in October 2101? Would we have folks with Covenant connections zooming into the worship service from the lunar and Martian colonies? Or would they be participating by teleporting themselves to the service? 

Perhaps what’s most shocking is that 2026 is just as close to 2101 as it is to 1951. Truly, we can scarcely imagine what day-to-day life will be like in 2101. But I have a strong hunch about what will still be true about the church at its best. The church will still insist that the greatest commandments are to love God with our whole selves and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The church will be seeking how to live out Jesus’ teachings in the newly emerging 22^nd century world. The church will stand in solidarity with those whom society has made vulnerable. The church will reach out with Christ’s hospitality to all those who are searching for meaning and connection, and will embrace the whole world with Christ’s love.

That’s not a bad vision for the next 75 years. And it’s a good vision for the next 15 years or ten years or 5 years or 5 months.

Grace and Peace, 

Pastor Jack