Making Memories - Old and New

Today, Sunday, May 6. 2012, as I was preparing to use my concordance as part of the children's sermon, I took some of the things that were tucked into my concordance out of it and put them on the desk.  I found three letters from congregations where I was asked to do supply preaching in 1982, in churches not far from home in Lancaster, PA.  I was often asked to do supply preaching while I was in seminary--in these instances the churches were in Gap, York and Lewisburg, PA.  That was 30 years ago...

As I have become accustomed to using an on-line concordance, it had been some time since I had seen any of these. 

The one of the greatest interest (on the left in the photos) is from the Pequea Presbyterian Church, near Gap, PA, which was founded in 1724 by some folks far back in our family tree.  Steve Getty, who was pastor at that time, wrote to invite me to preach while he was having a Sunday off.  He addressed the letter to "The Soon to be Rev. John Dalles" (I was preaching for him about a month before my ordination).

Then, today in worship, I was in for a much bigger surprise.  The congregation at Wekiva Presbyterian Church marked its 35th anniversary.  During the time of greeting, Ken Moseley came forward as the chairman of the Human Resources Committee and spoke about the fifteen years so graciously.  His comments also were in anticipation of my 30th anniversary of my of ministry, which will be coming up this August 1st. 

The congregation presented me with a beautiful engraved clock, which looks like a book when closed, and opens to reveal both the clock itself and a page about various aspects of the church's history during the fifteen years I have served at Wekiva.

And if that wasn't all, there was a reception with cake and a beautiful arrangement of 15 Calla lilies.  The church had a thoughtful insert in the bulletin as well, which they had also made part of the clock.  Many thanks to all who made the morning memorable!  Photos appear, below...

 Above, the clock, closed.  Below, the clock, open.

 You can see the inscription's location, above; and a close up of it, below.

 The calla lilies (one for each year) in detail, above, and the arrangement as a whole, below.

Above, cards from Marci Anderson's Sunday School Class.