In line with that, our church bade farewell to our Pastor, a man of God who helped us each find our way on our spiritual journey. The Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ (SCUCC for brevity) is, by all outward appearances, just a modest little neighborhood church. Unpretentious, unassuming, one might be tempted not to give much shrift to a congregation that never numbered over a thousand. Measuring a church by the size of it's congregation is probably the easiest way to miss the jewel lying within the lump of coal.
As a proud member (a 'Charter' member, if you will) of this congregation since 1960, time and again I've witnessed incredible manifestations of faith and purpose the likes of which could not be matched by churches with 10 times the enrollment. But then I'm reminded of the story of David and Goliath; how the little fellow with only a slingshot felled a giant many times his size. Does size matter? Probably, but there's a thing called 'heart' that sets this church apart. Our Pastor is a full fledged PhD., but that would be hollow, meaningless, without an unshakeable faith that enables him to empathize with one and all who encounter him. Yet, for all his spirituality, he is exceptionally grounded. Now I know that using the word 'grounded' marks this blog as being a little over the top, too touchy-feely for some, but there's just no other way to describe a man who is so loved and respected by his parishoners, men and women, young and old; accolades abound.
Tomorrow: Moving forward...with gratitude.
