Dear Friends,
Most celebrations last a single day. Like your birthday or an anniversary or the Fourth of July. Sure, some last longer. Christmas doesn’t merely last one day, but is a 12-day celebration that may or may not involve turtle doves.
But rarely does a celebration last an entire year. But that is exactly what’s happening at Bethesda-by-the-Sea this weekend as we kick off our year-long Centennial Celebration.
The first service held in our transcendent worship space took place on November 27, 1927. Which means we get to celebrate this milestone for the next twelve months!
And it all begins this Sunday, following the 10:00 am service, with the inaugural event in our newly-renovated Parish Hall — which I can’t wait to unveil.
We’re pulling out all the stops for a fancy Coffee Hour and a brief presentation that will include the dedication of the Parish Hall and a look ahead to the next 100 years of ministry together in this sacred space.
Of course, the real celebration is that God continues to show up in this place, week after week, year after year. Ours is a faith worth celebrating precisely because, through God’s abundant grace, Jesus Christ celebrates and delights in us every single day.
I look forward to celebrating with all of you on Sunday. There is much to celebrate at Bethesda-by-the-Sea these day, and it is such a privilege to be a part of it.
Peace,
Tim+