This Sunday marks the twenty-third anniversary of the first official worship service of The Church at Shelby Crossings. It was Sunday morning, January 7, 2001 when the church gathered publicly to worship at Valley Intermediate School in Pelham. Much has transpired in the life of this community of faith since that day, and there are many things God has done worthy of celebration.

We had planned a big 20th birthday bash for our church a few years back, but we were right in the middle of Covid, and decided the timing just wasn't right for such a gathering. We said then that we would wait and plan something big for our 25th anniversary, and we are already looking forward to 2026 for that, Lord willing.

I was wondering what the traditional gift is to celebrate a 23rd anniversary. So, I went to the source of all knowledge--Google--and discovered that the gift that signifies a 23rd anniversary is....a silver plate. So maybe this Sunday, I'll deliver you all a sermon on a silver platter. Or maybe not.

I guess it doesn't really matter what precious metal or stone that we use to signify such an occasion. But it does matter that we stop, and reflect, and remember, and thank God for all the great things He has done in the life of our church over the past 23 years. 

I can say I have been here for almost twenty of those years, first as a member of the congregation for almost five years, and then as pastor for these last fourteen and a half years There has been some rough times, no doubt, but the Lord has been gracious to us through it all. He has pruned up, healed us, changed us, grown us and used us in our community and around the world, and for that I am grateful.

The reality is, there are not a lot of folks left among us who were there for that first worship service in 2001, but for those faithful few who have hung in there for the whole 23 years, we say...thank you. And, even as we celebrate God's work in His church so far, we hold to the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote of "forgetting what lies behind, and reaching forward to what lies ahead, we press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13)

We may live in a time that seems to be getting darker by the moment, but there are bright days ahead for the Lord's church, and for this local body that we call Shelby Crossings. We continue to seek to be a "diverse community of believers committed to developing passionate followers of Christ to impact the world." I hope you'll commit to investing your lives into the Kingdom work He in doing in and through this faith family, as we seek to walk with Him and share His gospel faithfully with our community in 2024. 

Let me close with more words from Paul's letter to the church at Philippi, which speak to us today at the church at Shelby Crossings: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6, NAS) 

I am thankful for you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken