FORTY YEARS AGO

After 40 yrs. this is the first photo next to the marque

Forty years ago this year, we first stepped into our gem of the valley, Grace Community Church. My husband and I began our many spiritual adventures, the beginning of many friendships and joyful times.
It was our first exposure to intense expository teaching.  The rustle of pages of everyone in unison rushing to get to a passage and furiously writing notes to keep up with our then much younger Pastor John.  Those times were exciting for us.  Well most of them anyway.
The three services were held in the gym and were very crowded.  Coming in late often meant your seat may just be up in the choir loft after the choir sang.  On occasion others sat on the floor.  In contrast now we can sit almost anywhere out in the patio and listen from there.
Meanwhile on the other side of campus we eagerly watched the new worship center being built.  The seminary building may have just been a dream then and the Book Store was the Book Shack because it was located in the middle of the parking lot in a Shack.
I love my church.  It is a place of safety and comfort for me.  A place of encouragement.
As hard as it is to keep up with things now, our pastor also seems to have slowed down and it is so wonderful to be able to take notes a little slower.
The music is very uplifting and very worshipful and I'm so thankful that others have the talent to soothe my non musical ears. 
We still live in exciting times as was demonstrated this week in Santa Clarita.  I know I can count on my church family to rally around me in my times of need too because they have in times past.
Yes, I am so grateful for my church and the love that surrounds me.