The Beginning of the Journey
Welcome to the first blog post for our church's website!
I have been through many phases in my life despite only being 34 years old. All along the way the Church has been a part of my life. Many of my earliest memories involve my home church as my parents were active members of my home church. All along the way adults participated in my growing process as they taught my Sunday School classes, coordinated my youth groups, and taught my catechism classes. For these people I give thanks!
As a student at Northwestern College in Iowa I attended several churches until my senior year when I joined a group of friends and my hall director in a small home church which we coordinated. After college I really struggled to find a church home. I wasn't excited to join the church where all the young folks were attending and the church I appreciated most didn't have anybody attending it I knew. It wasn't until my wife and I started dating that I found a church community to join.
So why share a brief snapshot of my life as I was connected to the Church? Well I love the Church and when I say the Church I'm speaking of all Christians and our connection together through Jesus. Jesus is the reason why we gather together and form smaller gatherings and iterations of the Church. Jesus is the reason why a small group of people formed a sunday school mission in Cottage Grove and eventually organized to charter Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.
It is my hope and desire that our little church with such a big heart would continue to evolve to fit the needs of all people no matter your age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual identity or creed. Our church continues to meet the needs of it's current members and while we also reach out to those people who are seeking community and want to build connections with other people who are seeking greater meaning in their lives and for their lives.
The Jesus I know taught his followers to love others as much or more than we love ourselves and to seek to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and provide shelter for the homeless. It's a tall task, but that is what Jesus taught and that is what and who I want our church to become and who we have been in the past.
So if you have stumbled across this humble blog post know that whoever you are, you are welcome and have a home at Bryn Mawr. We know that not everybody will stay who visits, but we at least hope you'll take a chance on us and check out our website, like our Facebook page, post comments on our page, visit our worship services a couple times, attend our Connect Group for young adults or something else. Join with us as we continue to grow and evolve as a worshiping community and a community of people who is willing to ask and explore the difficult questions of life.
I know from experience and from ministry that life is not always easy and our world is a complicated place, but I am convinced that our lives are better when we live them with others. Know that I'm always open to a cup of coffee or conversation over another beverage of your choice and I do respond to my emails and social media posts as well.
Come and join us on this crazy journey towards a life lived more fully as children of God and followers of Christ!
