Before We Put the Tree Away...
 
The Halloween candy is on the store shelves, and I have the uneasy feeling that someone has already pressed the fast-forward button on the rest of the year.

I haven’t bought the candy yet, but somehow I already feel behind on taking down the Christmas tree.

You know how it goes.  October gets rolling, and suddenly we’re making Thanksgiving plans.  Then come the Christmas gatherings, the shopping, the services, and the question of where we put that box of decorations.  Before we know it, we’re packing everything away and trying to remember to write a different year on our checks.  For those of us still writing checks, that adjustment can take until March.

There is much to enjoy in these months.  But sometimes we spend so much time getting ready for the next thing that we barely notice the thing we’re living right now.
A cool morning.  A conversation over coffee.  Someone laughing so hard at the dinner table that the story never quite gets finished.  An ordinary evening with someone whose presence we have come to take for granted.

These moments rarely announce themselves as important.  They simply arrive, offering us a little of the goodness of being alive.

I wonder how many we hurry past.
 
The psalmist asks God to “teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart” (Psalm 90:12).  Perhaps part of that wisdom is learning to give this day our attention, even while tomorrow’s plans are waiting.

We cannot make October last longer.  But we can linger for a few minutes in a conversation.  We can put down the phone and listen.  We can step outside, notice the air, and offer a quiet thank-you.  We can tell someone we’re glad they are here.

And for those who find the coming holidays difficult, paying attention to today may offer its own kindness.  We don’t have to carry the whole season at once.  Today’s company, today’s strength, today’s small comfort can be enough for now.

Soon enough, we will be putting the Christmas decorations away and writing 2027.  Between now and then, there is a life to be lived – and God is already here in it.

One of the things I have come to appreciate about Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church is that when someone is hurting, this congregation quietly steps forward to help.

Many of those acts of kindness happen behind the scenes. A family facing an unexpected financial crisis receives help with a utility bill. Someone who has fallen behind on rent is able to remain in their home or apartment. A church member facing an unforeseen hardship finds encouragement and practical assistance at just the right moment. Most of us never hear these stories, and that is exactly as it should be. Jesus reminded us that acts of compassion are not done for recognition but out of love for our neighbors.

LPC’s Support Fund makes that ministry possible.

The Support Fund exists to assist members of our church family and people in our surrounding community who encounter unexpected financial difficulties. It allows us to respond with compassion and dignity when someone needs a helping hand. While we cannot solve every problem, we can often provide enough assistance to help someone weather a difficult season and regain their footing.

On Sunday, August 23, as we celebrate 135 years of ministry at Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church, we will also receive a special offering for the Support Fund.

I can’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate our anniversary. As we give thanks for God’s faithfulness through the generations, we also have the opportunity to continue the ministry that has defined this congregation for so many years – caring for our neighbors in Christ’s name.

If you are able, I invite you to prayerfully consider making a gift to the Support Fund as part of our anniversary celebration. Every gift, whether large or small, becomes a tangible expression of God’s love and a reminder to someone in need that they are not alone.

Thank you for your generosity, your compassion, and your commitment to being the hands and feet of Christ in our community.

I’ll see you Sunday.

Pastor Greg
pastorgreg@lawrencevillepresbyterian.org