First Day of Church…
I woke up early on Sunday. I was nervous, scared, wondering if I had forgotten anything, excited, timid about my sermon, thankful for everyone’s efforts… As I went to prayer, I asked God to give us great joy– please infuse our congregation with joy and energy that morning. Make us grateful for a place to worship, grateful for this new church.
Left the house around 7:30am. Laurel took a picture of me holding my briefcase. I flashed back 30 years to my first day at Matthew Whaley elementary in Williamsburg. My first stop was the Starbucks at Lee Heights. I wanted to provide coffee and pastries for our great liturgical team. I invited all of my baristas to church. We should probably get an account with them…
When I walked into Trinity Baptist, I teared up for the first time. It was beautiful. There was new carpet all over the place, the walls were freshly painted. It smelled great. The four Sunday School rooms were ready for kids. The Sanctuary had brand new BCPs and Bibles in all the pews. I plugged my iphone into the sound system and listened to Bob Kaufflin’s, ‘the lord is’. Ran through my sermon one more time. 7:56 John Yates called to encourage me and tell us TFC was praying for us today. Meant a lot.
A little after 8, Jon Crocker showed up with a wealth of sound equipment. We worked together to set up the wireless mics. And I took a crash course in how to record my sermon to a flash card. (I forgot to turn it on– human error and distracted preachers… the death of many a good plan). Around 8:20, the liturgical servants started arriving and putting name tags and welcome cards everywhere. 8:23 Patrick Ware arrives with more coffee and pastries. What a tangible source of support to us.
8:30– we gathered for prayer in the kitchen, about 20 of us. We prayed for joy, clarity, for our destiny as a church, for the kids, for people to feel welcome, for energy, for the worship team. After about 15 minutes, we split up and a flurry of activity got everything ready.
9:10– WELCOME TO RESTORATION!! Mary Breed is one of the most enthusiastic greeters I have ever met. She will be the voice, smile, and face that many people remember as their first impression of Restoration– and I’m thankful for that.
9:28– the sanctuary is PACKED. We turn up the sound system so that the loud singing doesn’t drown out the worship team. My last moment of panic, tried to hide it, ’cause here we go…
9:29 I stand up to welcome folks and I see 2 of my dearest friends and former students from Texas in the congregation. They had driven up from Charlottesville. I wasn’t expecting to see them. It totally chokes me up. I lose track of what I wanted to say in my welcome. It essentially becomes, ‘welcome to Restoration, here are some cards we want you to fill out, we have new books in the pews, read the bold print’ not the most inspiring. But God is good.
The service was wonderful. Our worship team had worked so hard to be ready and you could tell. The sound system worked without a glitch– so thankful for that. We had 88 adults and 33 kids! I asked all the kids how it was in children’s church and they RAVED about how much fun they had. We have an incredible team overseeing this. Readers, the prayers of the people, ushers, communion servers. It was everyone’s first time and it went so smoothly. As Laurel said repeatedly, ‘it did not feel ordinary, but it felt comfortable.’
I cried during my sermon– During the conclusion. Surprised I didn’t earlier. I am so moved by the idea of doing this for 30 years with these people. I am so excited about this being a journey that we are on for a long time. I am not a guest preacher. I am their pastor. In my conclusion I talked about being a community that is actively waiting together. There is something about belonging, being in partnership, being a team that gets to me. Consequently, I was pretty choked up for the end.
We are building into our service an after-sermon song. I like it. Gives some space to reflect, to respond, to worship. Gives me some transition moments.
The kids come back in to the sanctuary for the Eucharist. So fun to see them streaming down the aisles! I like their chatter and comments during the liturgy.
After the service, we had coffee and pastries at the Breeds. They live a short walk from the church. Almost everyone went from the church to their house. When I got there, the conversation was at a low roar. God totally answered our prayers for joy and energy.
So the questions will come– when do we go to 2 services? How will we have enough space to grow? God has taken such good care of us and provided all that we need. These answers will come as well. In the meantime lets be thankful for a great first day.
Laurel asked me late last night– was it more than you could have asked or imagined? I said, well you’d be surprised what I can imagine… But the answer is Yes. From music, to greeters, to parking lot helpers, to children’s ministry, to sermon, to communion, to hospitality, to facility, to new-comers, wow. God is good and able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or imagine…
January 26, 2009 @ 8:47 am
David,
I am choked up as well, reading about yesterday. I am SO HAPPY for you and all who took part in restoration arlington’s first official service. Praise God!
January 26, 2009 @ 8:56 am
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
David, thanks for the recap. I’m so excited to see what Jesus has in store for RAC. It’s a privilege to serve beside you and the rest of the crew.
January 26, 2009 @ 8:58 am
David,
You make us proud to see such a man of courage. It increases our faith – in a powerful God who can do all things and is the ulitimate source of our courage. So it’s plain that you are a man for God and it shows.
I’m very glad you had such a wonderful and meaningful first service.
Both Nancy and I send blessings to you and Laurel, May God grant you strength as you serve this new community in the name of Christ.
Bill
January 26, 2009 @ 9:02 am
Thank you for sharing so vividly–not as good as being there, but we certainly get the flavor of it. And speaking of flavors, I count 3 separate pastry infusions –are you sure this isn’t Arlington Carbohydrate Anglican?
In all seriousness, though, I praise God that He is at work, bringing glory to Himself while also giving you the desires of your heart. Glory be to Him!
January 26, 2009 @ 9:26 am
Congrats Dave – I know how hard you have been working toward this (thanks, Facebook!) and it is great to see it come to fruition.
Great stuff.
Chris
January 26, 2009 @ 9:39 am
David and All,
We have been praying for you all along. It is so exciting that it (regular weekly worship services) have now begun. As you wrote ~ God is good.
My heart is filled with joy for you and the community of Restoration. God’s continued blessing on your journey.
In the family,
Martha
January 26, 2009 @ 9:46 am
Kelsey, you and Anthony definitely had the coldest job of the day– thanks.
Shue, means a lot that you would track with me on this. Still hoping to buy you lunch.
Deiss, thanks.
Kris, Carolyn, and Martha– you have been such faithful encouragers. I am not surprised that you are some of the first to ask and the first to respond. It has been so good to work alongside you.
January 26, 2009 @ 10:01 am
Dear David and Restoration Church of Arlington,
We rejoice with you on your first day and sincerely pray this will be merely the tip of the giganic Spiritual “Iceburg” that will sink the ship of evil and negativism that plagues our spiritual growth. There is no group more anxious for you to grow and minister to this part of our county than the present members of Trinity Baptist Church. This is something we have not been able to effectively do and obviously the Lord has great plans in store for His young survant and the congregarion of Restoration.
Onward! Onward! Brother. We are behind you in prayer and encouragement. We love being together and look forwar to the years to come.
Charles Sinclair
Pastor Trinity Baptist Church
January 26, 2009 @ 10:08 am
David,
Keep leading in the example of Christ. It inspires us.
Tim
January 26, 2009 @ 10:26 am
David –
Thank you so much for the vivid account — I almost feel like I was there! And you know, we ARE all there with you in spirit. God has called you, equipped you, and blessed you — and He is blessing many others through you. I know that Restoration Anglican will be a beacon of light in the Arlington community and beyond.
Go GOD!!!!
Kathleen+
January 26, 2009 @ 10:28 am
I rejoice with you. Last night I had some of my C.S. Lewis mentees here for supper. We call it salad by committee. One of the ladies, Rachael Preston, was at your first service and gave us a glowing account. Another of the group plans to join you next week. My thoughts went to hymn 390—”Praise to the Lord; over all things he gloriously reighneth; borne as on eagle wings, safely his saints he sustaineth. Hast thou not seen how all thou needeth hath been granted in what he ordaineth. ” And a well done and tip of my hat to you and Laurel also for your hard work and joy in doing that work.
Every blessing,
Virginia Watson
January 26, 2009 @ 10:32 am
Thank you David for sharing the beauty of knowing God and following His sweet call. We love you guys and are praying that God will move through Arlington in a fresh Restorative way! God is very good, candee
January 26, 2009 @ 10:48 am
What a great way to start a new church with special music, many people and kids, and such a great and wonderful blessing from the pulpit. Thanks David.
January 26, 2009 @ 11:36 am
Rejoicing with you from Texas! You were made for this; the Restoration community will be blessed and Arlington won’t be the same.
January 26, 2009 @ 11:53 am
What a wonderful way to share in this “first day” of RAC. This blog will be a great way for us to receive a taste of MORE of the Lord’s plan and His great blessings. We are grateful for this call on your life. and how this church will evolve. Continued blessings on you and your dear family-Peggy and Bob
January 26, 2009 @ 11:55 am
I agree, there was palpable joy and energy. We were blessed to finish an already exhilerating day by meeting with our small group for the first time last night. More joy. Looking forward to growing as a community.
January 26, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
CONGRATS!!! i am so glad the service was a hit!!
January 26, 2009 @ 1:58 pm
I’m so moved by your blog David! Thanks for sharing! I will be praying for you all!
January 26, 2009 @ 2:13 pm
Reading your blog, reading everyone’s comments, having space today to reflect — it’s joy that increases to create a bursting heart. Grateful. Thankful. Awed by all He is doing in and through Restoration! God is sooooooooooooo good!
January 26, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
What a great God we serve–that He is vitally involved in drawing new believers to himself in Arlington and around the world! So glad to hear of your fantastic first day–just what we’ve come to expect from you!
January 26, 2009 @ 5:15 pm
Such a great victory! Your willingness to be led by the Spirit is life-giving to all of us.I thought about the reporter who asked Charles Spurgeon how he managed a church of 10,000 people. Spurgeon took him down to the church basement where there were 600 people praying, and he said, “here is the furnace room”. Rejoicing with you and Laurel.
January 26, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
Wow! David, your account is so real and so accurate from where I sat in the pews yesterday morning! As I shared with you yesterday afternoon, mid-service I had an overwhelming feeling of “this is where I am supposed to be.” After the service several folks told me they had that feeling BEFORE I shared my experience with them. God is amazing! However, In all the goodness, for me there is still fear. There is a feeling of being alone and separated from the Godly masses at TFC. There is a fear of quick burnout from all the work that still (and will always) has (have) to be done. Seeing all these comments just now helps me realize that the congregation of RAC is SO not alone. God has given us AMAZING support, love, counsel and prayer (please, please keep praying all!) from lots of TFC folks, friends and the folks at Trinity Baptist. Thank you Father Sinclair for your comments and for all you have done and continue to do for RAC! With a heart filled with thanksgiving! Jennie
January 26, 2009 @ 8:48 pm
Ooooh…. love it. Thanks for the play by play.
It made me think about all kinds of new and crazy things we got to do together on staff, and made me so thankful to God for those experiences and for y’all. I got all teary reading it!!! So excited for y’all!
Miss you dearly, loved the picture card. It’s in prime photo space on my new fridge (Wilbur) in my new house (Mattie St.). 😀
January 26, 2009 @ 9:23 pm
Feeling very thankful. Feet haven’t touched the ground yet.
January 26, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
Fantastic! I definitely teared up while reading this. 🙂 God is so awesome, and this makes me want to pray more that He will make a way for me to have a job back up home so that I can come worship with all of you. Thankfully, miracles happen, and God blesses His people. I can’t wait to see what He is going to do through Restoration and I can’t wait to find out what my place is in it all!
January 27, 2009 @ 8:52 am
To all the saints at RAC,
God’s graciousness is papable in the re-telling of your first day of worship. Thank you for giving us this little window into all that He is doing among you. WOW!
Just this morning I was meditating on Psalm 18, some of which I see reflected in your story:
For who is God, but the LORD? And who is the rock, except our God- the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. (v31-35)
May Jesus continue to be your strength. May he assure you daily of His salvation. May you rest secure in knowing He is with you and equipping you. May the name of Jesus be made great in Arlington through RAC!
January 27, 2009 @ 9:39 am
So thrilled for you ALL!!!
God is so faithful. Enjoy this day and don’t get too stressed about the future. He holds that too:)
We love you so much!
Susan
January 27, 2009 @ 10:58 am
Dave –
What a beautiful picture of new beginnings. Had no idea this is what is happening in your life. Many blessings on you as you begin the journey, friend.
January 27, 2009 @ 7:52 pm
Just saw this, having returned from Asia, and Elizabeth Boesen was kind enough to send. SO moving, David! We are so proud of you and rejoice in what God has done on your first Sunday as a church…and what He has in store. You can’t even imagine!
Robert and I love you guys.
January 29, 2009 @ 4:37 pm
Hermano,
The joy of the Lord is contagious! Aixa and I rejoice with you, Laurel and the Restoration Familia!
En Cristo,
Carlos+
February 1, 2009 @ 6:08 pm
WOW – this is only the beginning and our God is a great God! As I read, I felt the presence of the Lord in every word. We are so excited for the folks at RAC and know they will be richly blessed through your leadership.
David, it was a blessing to be with you even a short time and see how God has worked in and through you and Laurel. May you continue to know His presence and pleasure in all you do.
When you need a retreat, NC has a place for you. Hugs, Jackie & Larry
February 1, 2020 @ 7:39 am
This is soooo fun to read 10+ years later. It was an amazing day and it’s STILL amazing! We’ve come through some hard and some awesome times, and the Lord still shows up— never leaves.
So grateful for all He’s doing.