Change
As I reflect on my ten years as pastor of Eastern Heights there is one common theme. Change. Having the same pastor for ten years is a great stabilizer yet I’ve witnessed so much change in our church. I was watching the recording of my first Easter service which just magnified this for me. I was in a suit and tie. We had a choir. The stage had plenty of artificial flowers and trees. The main instrument was the piano. Very few faces of those in the congregation are still around. The change in faces has been significant. In 2012, amid mass early retirements, we saw many long-time church members leave town. They left a huge hole in leadership that caused many to get out of their comfort zone and step up to fill the vacuum. Over a six-month period, we lost $6000 a month in giving. It could have been a very difficult time. Yet, God continued to bless us. The next summer we saw seven seminary degrees leave our church leaving a new hole. Yet again, people ste