Joining Deep Roots

My wife Svetlana and I began attending Resurrection 24 years ago. It was her desire to go to church. I was not attending church before this. I had attended an Episcopal church with my mom as a young person, but I stopped when I was a young adult, as so many kids do. Later, I had some apprehension about going to any church because I felt that religions and faith were not always compatible or consistent.

So, when I returned to church attendance, here, I brought my apprehension with me. But what I encountered here was interesting and welcoming. In the Sunday services I heard the voices of the folks around me in prayers and songs, and responding to the minister in the liturgy, and I understood I was part of something, a community, that was practicing spirituality and faith together, and I thought, this is pretty cool.

As the weeks passed, I met many interesting people that I looked forward to seeing here.

I have also met many interesting people who came to Resurrection after I did. I also attended many of the adult faith formation classes between the services where I learned a great deal about spirituality and the Bible. And I thought, this is pretty cool.

The practice of our faith has very deep roots. Each week, we have four selections of readings from Scripture in our service. This practice of reading from Scripture is ancient: in the Gospel of Luke Jesus himself read from Scripture in a synagogue in Nazareth. Our readers and ministers continue this ancient tradition.

Our practice of communion, of sharing bread and wine, was established by Jesus in an instruction to his followers to remember him this way. This remembrance of him has been participated in by Christians for all these many centuries, ever since. When our ministers prepare our communion meal, they continue that tradition. And as I watch them prepare it, and when they offer it to me, I am thinking about all those times this has been done before us, indeed, since Jesus, and here we are, doing it now. And I think, this is really cool.

That ancient faith and spirit found its way here to us. Our predecessors at Resurrection, through their faith and gifts and works, granted a legacy to us, placing not only this beautiful sanctuary, but also our church itself in our hands.

We have been pledging members here almost since we first joined. The act of pledging is one form of stewardship. Our pledge Is our promise to give our support to our church. Our stewardship is a way for us to think beyond ourselves and to care for what has been placed in our hands. We have been rewarded in many forms of personal growth and many friendships here. I invite you to join us in making your pledge to support our church.

Thank you!

— Russ B.