Wow. Thank You.

Wow. Thank you.

I hope you’re doing well and enjoying this beautiful late summer day. We don’t know how many of these we’ll have left this year, so enjoy it!

So – as I said in last week’s Central Thoughts – Sunday was a BIG day: we switched service times, re-launched our Greeting Team, switched how Central Kids works, and had a kick-off day picnic.

And I have to say: it was a great day.

From what I’ve been hearing, the service time switch went well (and we learned the bells still go off at 9:55! That’s been fixed for this week!), the Greeting Team was a welcomed presence (and ran out of bulletins this week!), Central Kids had a great kick-off day to the new format, and the picnic – in spite of the general sogginess – went great (I really enjoyed getting to talk to some folks I don’t usually have time to talk with!).

So, in light of how great Sunday went, some thanks are in order.

First, thank you for supporting me in these new developments. I mean that. Thank you. I know how chance can be difficult and disruptive, even small changes like a 30 minute time shift, and I appreciate you giving it a chance. Like I’ve said in the past, every new development is intended to be faithful and beneficial for the mission that Jesus has given his church here at Central. Thank you for trusting me to lead us along that path.

Second, thank you to Rich Kugele for engineering and constructing the support bracket for the new TV in the sanctuary. His attention to detail, thoughtfulness, and careful woodworking skills are well appreciated. Also, thanks for the flower watering!

Third, thank you to Allen Riso for all of the painting that he’s been doing around the building. You might not have noticed it, but the stairwells look better and there’s a new chalkboard painted in the fellowship hall (soon to be chalked!). Also, Allen looks awesome when he’s painting (see below).

Fourth, thank you to Bob Ruddy for fixing and touching up walls in the sanctuary and in the hallway, installing a new bathroom light in the ladies room, faithfully watering the flowers (along with Karen!), and all of the other things that he does so regularly.

Fifth, thank you to Larry and Michele Russel, for helping with everything from sound system engineering, to decorating guidance, to organizing and running so many things behind the scenes. It’s amazing; thank you!

Sixth, thank you to Joe and Jean Koeppel for really running a great picnic. Jean coordinated so many details and did so much behind the scenes work, and Joe provided us with everything from frozen treats to warm burgers. These two do – and mean – much! Thank you!

Seventh, thank you to Rebecca Delucia’s mom, Barbara Gossard. She was here for most of last week to help us clean, organize, and put together the Central Kids spaces. Along with Rebecca, she put in an enormous amount of work to get this place ready for last Sunday. Wow. Barbara, thank you!

Eighth, and I could go on and on so I’ll wrap it up here: thank you to all of you who brought food to and cooked at the picnic, greeted at the door on Sunday morning, set up or cleaned up at the picnic, provided good conversation with others, helped teach our kids, welcomed new people, carried furniture around the church building to a new location, vacuumed up a mess, and everything in between.