“We didn’t want this to be something that was all about us,” says pastor Marc Eix.
Some members developed their own ideas, while others participated in ongoing outreach with other organizations. The work began following the October 1 worship service, when the congregation processed from the sanctuary to the multi-purpose room. Numerous service opportunities were posted.
Members eventually did service that included writing letters to prison inmates, painting the walls of new offices for the Lighthouse Pregnancy Center, singing at a retirement center, and working with Habitat for Humanity.
Following a special anniversary dinner a week ago Sunday, members of the congregation shared about their experiences. “It was fantastic,” Eix says.
The evening also was a time for reflection. Five of the oldest members, ranging in age from 86 to 88, shared memories that included the interesting problem posed for a pair of brothers when services were still conducted in Swedish.
One of the speakers related that he and his brother avoided going to Sunday morning services because they didn’t understand Swedish; so they would sneak away to go hunting with their dog. They didn’t get out of church altogether, however. Their mother insisted that since they missed the morning service, they had to go to the evening meeting. The inability to understand the language was no problem during that service, the speaker explained, because the brothers were so tired from the day’s hunting, they would just fall asleep in the pew.
After that, everyone from youth to senior adults began sharing stories. “It just snowballed from there,” Eix says.
The pastor says he was especially moved when one man, who is hardly known to most of the congregation and rarely attends, expressed his gratitude for the church. He said he knew he was always welcome.
The evening ended with the congregation singing, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”
