Bang! The starter pistol’s cry rips through the not so patient silence enveloping the poised muscles of the racer.  It’s call is welcome, but surprising…startling and yet energizing.  That’s what I heard on Sunday May 1 at the congregational meeting.
 
It was not a pistol’s bang that broke the silence but a resounding “I” boisterously declared from the Holy Cross members gathered—affirming their desire to move ahead with a 3rd worship service on Sunday evenings at 6.  It was an "I" that meant that my role as "Lead Pastor" of this new venture was now a reality.
 
I think I can speak for much of the leadership at Holy Cross when I tell you that our muscles have been poised for this moment for a couple of months now.  Much the same way that the starter pistol’s bang affects the racer, I felt both a startle and a burst of energy when I heard the gathering’s affirmation.
 
There’s an element of “oh my, what have I said yes to?” “God what have you got me into?”—the startle of this now being reality, not just a seemingly good idea.  But right behind it was also that burst of energy, that joy of the release to get up, get going and get after it. It is that energy that fills me with hopefulness of what God is doing…what plans he has for us!  What has he been preparing in advance for us to do?

He tells us the fields are ripe for harvest.  He’s looking for ones willing to go into the harvest field and do the work of gathering in what he’s already prepared, what’s ripe for the picking.  This is how I see what’s ahead. 

There will be lots of opportunities to serve...look for more on that in the weeks to come.

For now, let me invite you into the “starter’s pistol” moment that propelled us to this place and the powerful events that followed.  Pastor Sommerfeld shared an interesting backstory to this 3rd service that he hadn't shared publicly before (you'll be inspired in hearing it) and then I was asked to pray, but my emotions were running too high to accept.  Instead, in deferring to Pastor Sommerfeld, I received something far better...being literally surrounded in prayer.

While I know it was the hands of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ that were led to stand with me, I couldn't help but think, in that moment, that they felt like the hands of God supporting me.

This is indeed a picture of how God is supporting us as we move ahead. The memory of that prayerful community embrace continues to brings me peace. 

Get a taste of it through this video clip, then join us in prayer to The One that has us supported on every side.

Following Jesus,

Pastor Adam Peck