What a welcome! Thank you to all who have made my first weeks at Second Congregational Church so warmly inviting and endearingly full! From my “shadowing” time with Pastor David to vicariously reliving Confirmation with Pastor Bill and Alice, from touring town with Jack, church history with Ann and the heights and depths of the church building with Tony and Susi to unpacking worship process and practice with Jin and everything else with Cindy, from the Sonrise at Sandy Beach to the soaring strains of the Easter Cantata, this has been a wonderful whirlwind of a start.
It was a particular privilege to begin my ministry with you on Palm Sunday – entering with you into Holy Week and walking together toward the new dawn of Easter-tide. It feels good. It feels right. And as several have observed, it feels comfortably familiar. I am thrilled. And so deeply grateful. For all the newness, it feels like I have come home.
Over the course of the coming weeks, I hope to help you feel at home with me. I have kicked-off that effort by crashing every group or meeting I could get to – an effort I intend to continue. I WANT to get to know you, to learn about your lives and the life of this church and, frankly, just to be with you.
Church Committee gave me a great sense of the commitment church leaders bring to the ministries they shepherd. The Crafty Ladies gave me needle and thread, glimpses into the past and present and a taste of their hopes for the future. Deacons rooted us all in the reason we come together in the first place – to praise and pray and care for each other in the name of the One We Serve – and Finance helped ground my understanding of the challenges we face as Christians in this time and in this place, in a world with so many competing priorities.
There is so much to talk about! May this be a time to “open the lines” to frank and free-flowing conversation. If I am in the office, you are ALWAYS welcome. Or let me know if you or another church member needs a call or a visit.
The Deacons are also planning several opportunities for us to get to know each other in small groups. The first two will be Tuesday, April 24th at 7pm at John & Linda Campbell’s and Thursday, April 26th at 10am at Ruth & Joe Nadrow’s. My thanks to them for opening their homes for refreshment and conversation. Please contact Cindy in the church office if you are able to attend either session: SCC02025@gmail.com or 781.383.0345 Host homes are welcome should you be willing and able to help. Additional times and places will be shared through the church’s Friday e-blasts as they become available.
As I’ve moved through these first days, in gatherings of the church, cheering racers at the Palm Sunday 5K and meeting so many at the Health & Rec Fair, I’ve been greeted again and again with the words, “Welcome to Cohasset. You are going to love it here.” I know. I already do.
From the bottom of my heart to the top of my happy imaginings, hear my thanks to God and to each of you for opening this door to our shared future. It feels right. It feels good. And it feels like it’s time to get going! Rejoice. Be glad. This is the day that the Lord has made… and God is making all things new!
With praise and thanksgiving,
Pastor Karen