Dear Berry Church,
It's a joy for me to be with you yet again! My time with this community began when I was a seminary student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston and had the opportunity to complete my field education at Berry beginning in September 2001. That began my long history with you starting with Pastor Nina Nichols, transitioning to Pastor Sherrie Lowly. It seems that I have been with you for many transitions in pastoral leadership over the nearly two decades. So in many ways, this is a homecoming for me, and I am grateful to be with you from now through June when your next pastor will be appointed after Pastor Krista Paradiso and I serve as your interims. It's an exciting time to be in ministry with Berry Church!
This Advent, beginning this Sunday, our theme will be "Are We There Yet?" Advent is the period of four Sundays leading up to Christmas and, as we learn in Godly Play, is the beginning of the church year. Advent is traditionally a time of preparation for the birth of the Christ Child. Advent is a journey. And as the UM Board of Discipleship writes about Advent, "Journeys begin with a choice. Shall I go or not? Shall I stay and embrace the known and the comfortable, or shall I go and maybe find something wonderful, or maybe be unsettled, upset, uncertain?" Is this not where Berry is as a community? Some decisions have been made. Others are yet to be decided. But we begin. Together.
I hope you will make plans to be with us in worship during Advent, a the New Year. As we journey together towards Christmas, as we journey together towards the next chapter of Berry Church. We choose to journey together!
with the Hope of Advent,
Rev. Gregory Gross