A Kirking

This weekend we begin our season of fall celebrations in worship - and we won't stop until we hit the new year!

We start this weekend by harking back to our Presbyterian roots.

Though the word Presbyterian comes from the Greek word for "elder" and refers to our form of government being all about the committees - did you hear the one about the subcommittee to change the lightbulb? - our particular branch of Christ's followers began their upbringing in the mountains of Scotland across the pond. From these Protestant roots, with a few ties to Switzerland that we will talk about next week, our forebears brought their catechisms and form of government to these distant shores when they sought to escape the British crown. And from the hill countries of Pennsylvania and the Carolinas they spread across the continent. In fact, our form of government was the basis for the early American Constitutions.

To honor this history, along with taking the opportunity of getting to enjoy the dulcet tones of bagpipes, we are going to have a good old fashioned "Kirking of the Tartans" this weekend. This includes gathering the clans (families) of the church, delighting in some Celtic and early American music, and hearing some liturgy from the old country.

So, break out your plaids - no matter where your family hails from - because, as we will remember this weekend, we are all woven together into one family of faith here at Grace. And those roots run very deep.

Blessings,

Rev. Janie