St. Patrick: Past & Future

This Sunday is Brian and Erika's last Sunday before they go off to plant a church. Well, it might not be their exact last Sunday, but it is the official day where we celebrate the way God has used them in our midst over the last ten years, and when we begin to think about how their next step in ministry is the realization of one of our dreams at St. Patrick. We are going to do something that, to the best of our knowledge, has never been done in the history of Presbyterianism. But, for Memphis folk who know anything of "Memphis Wrestling" lore, what we are going to do makes perfect sense: we are going to tag-team the morning message.  If what I just said makes no sense to you, come Sunday, and you will see what we are talking about. This Sunday is a celebration of sorts; it is a day of honoring one of our leaders, as well a good chance to look at where St. Patrick has come from, and where we are headed in the future. We will then conclude the day with a huge feast to honor the Henson family.  As sad as it is to see Brian and Erika leave, it is exciting to see how what they are doing is all part of the larger kingdom vision of St. Patrick. If you are like me, I just choose not to think about one of my best friends in the world leaving for another place. But when I do think about it, I remember what C. S. Lewis said to Sheldon Vanauken, when Vanauken was leaving England to head back home to America. When he was walking away from Lewis to head to the train station, he turned around one more time to wave at his friend, and Lewis lifted up his hand, waved and said this: "Christians never say good bye."Hope to see you Sunday for the first "tag team" sermon in history. Blessings, Jim