From the Pastor's Desk

We are celebrating this year, and especially all this month, God's faithfulness to Parkway over the last 100 years. But it is also a moment to take us into the future. I have this sense that as we close the door to the past, God is strategically setting before us open doors to the future (Rev. 4:1).

There are moments in life to say, "Hello, tomorrow!" The Bible says, "There is a time for every purpose under Heaven" (Eccles. 3:1). The time is now! There are occasions when we are called to rise to meet the future. Jesus told the man at the Pool of Bethesda, "Rise, take up your bed and walk" (Jn. 5:8).

The word "Hello" was originally used as a call to attract attention. "Hallo" was a 15th century sailor's cry to incite effort. It gained popularity with the rise of the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell's suggested using "ahoy" when answering the phone. By the late 1880's telephone operators were known as "hello-girls." Lift your voice to say "hello." "Voice" comes from the Latin vocare, meaning to call or invoke. We have the potential to call, invoke, and attract tomorrow.

Vision may be one of the most important spiritual forces in the world. When you go to the movies, you not only see the main feature, but also the coming attractions. They are announcements of what I can expect to see at a future date. It allows me to anticipate and prepare for what I plan to see.

So for your church and your life - get up and say, "Hello, tomorrow! I have been waiting for you a long time!"

Pastors Mark and Jennifer