From the Pulpit

The message from the Search Committee and the message from Pastor Paul; 

"Sue, you belong among this congregation and we will support your ministry."

This message was delivered to Sue when she started part-time work as Director of Ministry for Children and Youth at First Presbyterian, Garland on September 1, 2015.

Sue hit the ground running as they say, and it was not long afterward when she was approached with the opportunity to preach on October 18, while Pastor Paul was out of town.  She welcomed this opportunity to come.  On the designated Sunday, I slipped into a central pew and joined a family of Sue's fans from her previous church as the introit began.  Sue conducted the entire worship service from announcements to prayers to benediction.

The sermon delivered from the pulpit by Sue was, "To What are we Entitled?"; preaching from the Gospel text of Mark 10:35-45.  Two of Jesus' disciples were asking for special places of honor in His Kingdom, only to cause greater disharmony among the other 10 disciples once they all found out about the inside-job seeking to secure a place of honor.  Using her seminary training and hermaneutical skills, she, like I think any good preacher, wrestled and struggled with the text and then crafted an applicable message relating that most-human interaction amongst the disciples of wanting to be made first above everyone else, and then tied that attitude found in the Scriptures to circumstances of to which we can relate in our very own life.  It was a good message.  I am sure that for God and everybody else on down, all were pleased.

Now, does Sue believe her time in the pulpit gives her a greater reward in heaven?  No, I think she is the type of preacher who practices what she preaches.