Dear Intergenerational Integrators:

Every week something amazing happens at church, and I’m afraid we’re taking it for granted. Of course, the act of divine worship is an amazing thing, and we frequently treat such an honor with casual indifference, but that’s not what I’ve been musing over this past week. I speak of the amazing grace witnessed when the elderly and the young meet one another as friends.

Back in October, we held another post-church fellowship called Pizza in the Pews. We don’t actually serve pizza in the pews—pepperoni stains are hard to leach out of hymnals, but we do serve pizza in a room near the pews (don’t take the name literally). At that gathering, one of our young members struck up a conversation with a member of the Sanctuary Choir. Their ages were separated by six decades, but there they sat talking about school, interests, games and family. A few weeks ago, the younger participant in this conversation asked our Director of Christian Education, Kelly Higgins, when we were going to have Pizza in the Pews again; she told him we would be having Chili in the Church on the first Sunday of February. “Good,” he said, “I’ll have to be sure to invite my new friend,” referring to the choir member he met at our last post-worship meal gathering. Such magnanimous memory on the part of this child could be told as a heart-warming story, except this wasn’t a single adorable moment; this kind of thing happens all the time.

For many, biological grandchildren, parents and grandparents are many miles away, and visits are only possible when vacation schedules and travel permit. But there is another configuration of family that our congregation celebrates—an intergenerational community that connects the young and the old and everyone in between. The privilege of continued connection comes with responsibility. As time takes a toll on the ability of some of our members to fully participate, our fellowship with them would be jeopardized were it not for the outreach of some who find joy by keeping in touch. This is why I’m pleased to announce that former members Roger and Julie Davis have made a generous contribution to FPCLG to enhance these very connections.

Inspired by their maternal grandmothers, Julie and Roger credit church fellowship for keeping their mothers' mothers engaged and connected well into advanced years. It is their hope that this gift will inspire deepening relationships within First Presbyterian’s community of faith by embracing less physically abled members—providing a long-range sustaining outreach.

When we received this gift, I recalled Deuteronomy 31.8: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” As God’s people, we are given the privilege to be the living embodiment of the Lord’s presence to one another. Ensuring that our relationships are not constrained by frailty, we are invited to keep all our members in active fellowship, from the youngest to the eldest. Whether Pizza in the Pews, or this Sunday's Chili in the Church, or visits, or calls, or cards, or care packages, fear and dismay can be dispelled by faithful connection. 

Others are invited to add to the Davises’ generosity, but for now I wanted to let you know that they are contributing to work already begun by a little guy and a choir member who I hope can remain friends for many, many years to come.

Seeing amazing grace every week, I remain,

With Love,
Jonathan Krogh
Your Pastor