Grand Opening Celebration

Sunday is a huge feast day and huge celebration. If you can’t celebrate what God has done in and through the ministry of St. Patrick, culminating in God blessing us with a permanent place to celebrate all the great mysteries of life, well you just might be dead! One year ago this Sunday we were here at this same spot. We had up a large tent. We had invited tons of guest. We had cooked lots of delicious food. And yes we had a grand worship service. This Sunday however the tent is not for the purpose of having worship, but for feasting! Yes, one year ago this Sunday we celebrated God’s provision of funds for us to sink deep roots in Collierville. This Sunday we celebrate in the building itself.A few things about this Sunday to remember. The first is a theological thing we talk about all the time: “We exist to bless others.” How can we tangibly do that this Sunday? Glad you asked. We are expecting lots of visitors and guests. Many of these folk are searching for a deep connection with Jesus and other people. Many may have deep wounds from church or religion. Others are just making a decision that it is time to go back to their roots. Many will do this because our building is beautiful and others because they have been invited by our members for years but couldn’t bring themselves to come to church in a warehouse. How can we “bless them?”The first way is by making sure they have a good seat in the Sanctuary. We have no idea how many people are coming but please be willing to give up your seat for a guest. We are streaming the worship service in the hall and if we see we are running out of seats we will begin to ask our folk to “make room” for others. Think about that. If this were a new Country Club we would never give up our seat - because we paid for it. But here? Jesus paid for any seat we have and says do for others what I have done for you. Also, if you get here early drop off your family and park your car on the east side of the parking lot in the grass. There will be parking attendants to direct you.The second way that we can aid our guest is by being honest and telling our story, or more importantly the story that has shaped St. Patrick into the community of faith that it is. For the next eight weeks (until Advent) I am preaching the stories that have shaped us in a series called “Not what you think? My purpose is that since we will have lots of guest, this is a good opportunity to share with them the stories that have shaped us and do it in a way that is, well, kind of shocking.So, invite your friends and neighbors, be willing to give up a seat, and with hearts overflowing with joy and gratitude celebrate like there is no tomorrow!!!Blessings,James M. Holland