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Old First Presbyterian Church is an inclusive community of faith united by trust in God and faith in Jesus Christ. We warmly welcome all who accept and respond to God's saving grace in Jesus Christ and who desire to participate in the life and ministry of this church.
Established in 1849, we are the Oldest Active Protestant Congregation in California. We are constantly renewed through a wide spectrum of activities, and of course, through new members and visitors
Maggi's Musings February 2012
On Epiphany Sunday many of you joined in writing your prayers and your longings for this coming year on white stars and then pinned them to the curtain in Chapel. During the following weeks more stars appeared and it began to look like aconstellation of hope. I’ve had the privilege of reading those prayers and longings, and I have to admit I am in awe of the awareness, depth, hope and vision reflected in your writing. I challenge you during these last weeks before we begin Lent to use these stars as a focus of your prayer and devotional life. Here are some suggestions for you to try, but use whatever means works for you.
- You might read and pray over these lists and see whether some things on each list speak to you. Then you could start asking God to help you live with them and work on them.
- You might pray a few of them in the morning and discover how you can live into them during the coming day or week.
- You could simply pray through these lists or you could move from prayer and reflection into an on-going commitment or project.
With God’s help, we, both as individuals and as the church, can be transformed. We can reflect both God’s hope that we look and act like God’s beloved children and God’s dream that God’s kingdom come on earth as in heaven.
What is God’s dream for you in this coming year?
Many of your responses expressed longing to have an enriched spiritual life: to deepen our relationships with God, to pray more, to answer God’s call, or to live in and through forgiveness and grace towards stronger belief. Other responses talked about being a committed, active part of this faith community: to be a leader, to be a courageous follower, to do one’s part, to be a friend, to provide time and funds or to complete tasks. There was a general longing for all to experience less doubt: to be happy, joyful, successful or healthy and to worry less and to trust God more.
What is God’s dream for our community and your role in it?
You longed that Old First Presbyterian would grow in numbers but also in spiritual depth and growth in God, that people would find a place of worship here, that we would be a be a shining presence in the city, filled with willing servants, where we would be open to the possibilities and learn to dream. You longed that we could become a place where all who enter our doors are offered sustenance through, love, art, prayer, support, education and faith. There was strong sense of commitment to serve the community: to serve with acts of kindness, to be points of light, to serve and love our neighbors, to smile at everyone as individuals and as a church, to be an active presence in our community and city. You longed that the city, our country and the whole world know economic justice, safety and peace.
Peace,
Pastor Maggi
