35th Anniversary Party

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

What a party! Saturday, lunchtime, 60 people sat down to a catered lunch in celebration of our building's 35th anniversary. 

There were lots of pictures, posters and memory displays placed around the narthex and hall. 

Original banner used to identify the place of worship, -- funeral home, school, warehouse -- before we had a building of our own.

Lunch included salad, main course and pudding as well as "share" plates on each table.

Our clerk of session gave an overview of the church's beginnings -- in a funeral home with 9 members -- through to the construction and dedication of our present building. Apparently there was an old shed on the property that would have been expensive to tear down. Instead, the church invited the N. Saanich volunteer fire department to come and burn it down for practice. They did, and the neighbours came running to see what was on fire. As Janet said, they didn't find the fires of hell, but were offered a lawn chair and a cup of hot chocolate. That was the beginning of our "friendly" church.

Rev. Irwin spoke of the church that was begun at Pentecost (See Acts 2.) The early church emphasised sharing -- possessions, worship and meals. SPPC has certainly lived up to the "eating together," model.

We had a letter from Rev. Peter Coutts, the first minister of SPPC. He is in Alberta and unable to attend but he shared some wonderful memories of the building of the church, including the fact that, once on the roof, he discovered he was afraid of heights!

Rev. Noel, our minister emeritus spoke of the many memorable moments of his ministry at SPPC, including some unanswerable questions posed by the children during the children's story time. He even brought some of the decorated paper bags they Sunday School gave him upon his retirement. On his last Sunday as minister here, he was carried into the parking lot on a makeshift sedan chair. Once deposited on the asphalt, his carriers abandoned him, leaving him alone and unsupported in the parking lot. No wonder he was glad to receive an invitation from our next minister, Rev. Barbara Young, to return to the congregation. 😄

 The "kids" have outgrown the kids' table.

We had a wonderful afternoon, and, of course, on Sunday morning, we had cake.