It has been awhile since we had a long day at church, a long time since we had a meal at church. Yesterday was that day. It was both a celebration of the church's 60 year anniversary and an installation of the new pastor.
We went to Lutheran Church of the Nativity in Arden, NC, one of several Lutheran churches across the U.S. southeast that feel like home to me. We went there last summer when they had a bluegrass worship service outdoors for their early service. The church was minutes away, and we wanted to see the bluegrass worship service in action. We discovered that the music director was one that my spouse met at Lutheridge's Music Week, and in the fall, my spouse joined the choir.
Yesterday morning, we celebrated 60 years of the church's existence. We heard from one of the founding members, although her parents were the heavy lifters in convincing the bishop that there should be a Lutheran church between Asheville and Hendersonville. She talked about the search for land; they wanted a plot that would be visible from the road. They could have had little idea how successful they would be, as the church is now at the intersection of the road that goes to the airport and the road that runs between Hendersonville and Asheville--the two most travelled roads in this end of the county.
After church, there was an old-fashioned church dinner, outside under tents on the lawn. We were lucky with the weather, which was perfect--it had not been perfect in the days running up to Sunday (too rainy and/or too windy and/or very chilly). In the past, we might have had a potluck dinner, but yesterday's was catered by Smoky and the Pig located in Fairview, NC. It was delicious.
At 3:00, we had another service, the installation of the pastor who had come to be the interim pastor and both the pastor and the church realized a good fit when they saw it. I know that often the interim pastor is not allowed to be the one chosen for the permanent position, and I have no knowledge of what happened at the Synod level, but both the pastor and the church seem happy. I have attended the church for almost a year now, both in person when I'm back in the area, and by way of streaming when I've been at seminary, and I understand the happiness.
I will be interested to see how the church moves into their next 60 years. Some of that observation will take place from a distance, as I take a position as Synod Authorized Minister at Faith Lutheran down in Bristol. But I will also be able to do some of the week day activities, like working with the quilting group or Tuesday night pub theology, if they continue that program in the fall.
I have been going to this church off and on for years, when I was in town. It was interesting to look around the room and realize how many of the members I knew, even before I attended more regularly: Lutheridge retreat friends, family friends, a variety of retired pastors, people who were camp counselors at Lutheridge when my mom was there. Being there does feel like falling through a hole in time, in a good way. Maybe it would be more accurate to say that being there feels like seeing all the folds of time as they rumple together in one place.
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