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August 2008 Pastoral Letter

 
Dear Members and Friends of First Church,

The summer is moving along quickly here in Florida—and perhaps you’re feeling that as well, wherever you are. The rains of July were quite ample for Bonita Springs and surrounding communities, so our lakes and water table are returning to healthy levels and everything is very green. The economy continues to show signs of recession (especially in housing and retail), as is the case nearly everywhere in the country this summer.

I thought you would be interested in a brief update on the progress of building renovations at First Church. In late June we received preliminary approval from the zoning board for a “variance” to allow us to do interior renovations to the First Thrift shop. This project was ready to go a full year ago, but the delay was caused entirely by Lee County and Bonita Springs. Incredibly, the portion of our church property on which our thrift shop sits is still technically on the books as being zoned “Agricultural”—even though it’s been decades since cows grazed or tomatoes were grown there. We initially requested a zoning change, and then determined after a long delay that it would be cheaper and quicker to apply for a variance. Beware, my friends, when you ask God for patience, for He may just give you abundant opportunities to learn it through the bureaucratic and governmental process! Now we are close to resolving this: a final hearing in August, then applying for a building permit and, at last, the renovations. I hope that everything will be completed by sometime in November, and our thrift shop will be better than ever.

Our other major renovations involve portions of the main church building. The permit to construct a two-room nursery and make needed improvements to the preschool classrooms has been granted, and construction began the end of July. We hope to have everything ready for our kids (the weekday preschool students and our Sunday school students) to move in by the beginning of September. A second portion of the renovations involves the library—which we are enlarging, opening up to the Narthex and transforming into a combination retail Christian bookstore & lending library. That project, and the renovations to McClure Hall and its adjoining classrooms, have yet to receive their building permits, so I can’t estimate the completion date.

To guide us in transforming our library into an up-to-date and useful resource for our congregation, we have hired a Book Center Coordinator: Mr. Ed Schick. Ed and his wife Ann have been active members of our church for many years, and they have extensive retail experience. He will be working about 25 hours per week until the new Book Center is “open for business,” focusing on the lending library inventory, the boxing and storage of books during the construction, and the design and ordering of Book Center furnishings and retail inventory. Ed will probably be looking for some volunteers to work with him this coming winter season. If you have any experience or interest in either book stores or libraries, give Ed a call at the church!

Summer is the time for the pastoral staff of the church to work on continuing education and professional enhancement. Paul Fahnestock has been traveling to do some on-site research into ways churches can unite for common ministry in our community. I was the guest preacher at the Presbyterian Church in Cooperstown, NY prior to attending a one-week course at a graduate school in New England in early August. Steven Grant is exploring different options for possibly beginning a Doctor of Ministry degree program. And Dan Oedy is continuing his ambitious schedule of graduate school courses towards his Master of Divinity degree and ordination to the ministry.

One final news note: I am planning to lead a trip to view the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany in late spring 2010. Final details are being formed; our travel agent is church member Pat Hazen, the owner of Pelican Landing Travel. I’ll be sending an email to all of our members and friends with the details (dates, itinerary and cost) within a couple weeks. If your time and circumstances allow, it would be a joy to travel with you!

Don’t forget that you can keep in touch with First Church wherever you are by visiting the website. In addition to weekly news and events, you will find that each Sunday’s messages (by me or one of the other pastors) will be available in written and/or audio form. To listen to a sermon on your computer, simply click on the section titled “Podcasts” under the Worship menu at the top of the page, and make your selection.

If you have any questions or prayer concerns that you’d like to share with me and the others at First Church in Bonita Springs, just reply to this message. Until we see each other again, “may the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other” (Genesis 31:49).

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Doug Pratt