Pastor’s Corner – March 2, 2025
In the Presence of God’s Glory/Luke 9:28-36
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. This coming Sunday, we are blessed to celebrate our 50th Anniversary! It was on March 2, 1975 that we were officially organized as a congregation with two hundred covenant members who met previously at homes and at Davis Elementary School. Over the years under the pastoral leadership of Maurice Barnett, Rebecca Weaver, Jim Serviss, David Mack, Wes Lackey and David Batchelder, the congregation grew as a neighborhood church.
Today, as we mark our 50th year, many of us can remember when we first joined WPPC and have fond memories as a faith community. Indeed, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the life and ministry of our church where we can experience the love and grace of God. As Wes Lackey pointed out in his welcome at 25th Anniversary, it’s not an accident that we officially began on Transfiguration Sunday where the disciples experience God’s glory and reaffirm their baptism through transfiguring and transforming power of God’s grace and love. Likewise, once again we stand with the disciples on the mountain top, in the presence of God’s glory. This climatic point of Jesus’ revelation and confirmation of the words spoken at his baptism reaffirms and foreshadows Jesus’ ministry, life, death and resurrection.
Indeed, looking back over the years of God’s faithfulness, we cannot help but praise and give thanks to God. Therefore, let us come together and once again hear the voice from above “This is my son, my beloved, listen to him!” In our challenging time and place today, more than ever we need to be in the presence of God, to renew our strength and faith in our time of great need and changing world. As we celebrate our Anniversary on Transfiguration Sunday, we are also reminded that we need to head down to the valley of our world, empowered by the Spirit of God. As a church we remember the words of Paul, “Since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.” Our celebration includes looking forward to our future ministry, life and mission together. God is faithful and God’s mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. Let us open our hearts and our lives to God as we celebrate our life and ministry, the body of Christ. Amen.
Pastor Dae