A Progressive Thanksgiving, Part 3

Well, yesterday was simply PACKED FULL of joyous events.  The day began (for me) at the multi-cultural service of Thanksgiving at Ray Thomas Memorial/Bethany Presbyterian Churches.  Worship and praise were shared in four languages:  Portuguese, Spanish, Korean and English.  I was privileged to give the sermon (in English… the words were translated into Korean by Rev. Choi and on projection screens in other languages).  As you might expect with this crowd, the music was wonderful and the sound of praise in so many languages was surely a foretaste of the worship that we all anticipate in heaven.  Sadly, I had to leave prior to the meal in order to go to another very special event… in Dawsonville.

In Dawsonville, we gathered to charter the newest official congregation of our Presbytery… Grace Presbyterian Church.  A little over five years ago, a group of people began to gather in Dawsonville with the intention to establish a local PC(USA) congregation.  And yesterday, it came to pass.  Over 125 people petitioned the Presbytery to become charter members of this new congregation, a petition that moderator-elect Elder Velma Tilley granted at the conclusion of the service.  The service of chartering included worship, ordination and installation of elders, two adult baptisms, re-affirmation of faith, a sermon by Rev. Dana Hughes, and a celebration of the Lord’s Supper.  The many gifts of the congregation were in evidence in the banners made by their liturgical arts guild, a newly crafted baptismal font by Gary Pichon, and the gracious (and delicious) hospitality following the service.  In recognition of our Scottish ancestry, we processed and recessed led by a bagpiper, and many in the congregation sported kilts and tartans.