Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home. 

The words are from Isaac Watt’s hymn interpretation of Psalm 90. They have spoken to the hearts of God’s people since the Psalmist first wrote them and for 300 years as English speaking Christians have sung them.

Should the Lord honor our plans, 2020 will be the year I cross the finish line as my 45 years of full-time ministry come to an end.  Becky and are looking forward with eager expectation to the next season of life with our faithful God; he is, indeed, our hope for years to come. The year undoubtedly will bring reflections on his help in years past, as well.

On July 1, 1975, I assumed duties as Youth Director at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Cruz, California. Two years later Becky and I were married.  The journey in ministry and marriage has taken us from California to Oregon to a stop in Virginia for seminary and back to churches in Michigan and Pennsylvania (west side and east).  Our God, our help in ages past.

As we make plans for my retirement and our new life together we trust God to be our hope for years to come.

For LPC 2020 will bring its fourteenth pastorate to a close after twelve and half years (the fourth longest tenure in our 132-year history).  I will leave it to others to make whatever assessments need to be make of our time together. Though we will be parting company about halfway through the year, I have full confidence in all the hope God is offering LPC for the years to come.

Our Pastor Search Committee is busy at work preparing for the launch of their search for our fifteenth pastor and the elders on the Session are preparing for the transition from #14 to #15 whatever the timeframe turns out to be.  But LPC and its years to come do not belong its pastor or its people.  LPC and its years to come belong to its Lord, and he is worthy of all our hope.

Happy New Year!