He's back and this time he is staying.

So everyone has pretty much had a first day.  It could be school or work, but first days come with excitement and a little bit of nervousness.  Well, yesterday was the first day for Upper Dublin.

Oh sure, you think, "Hey The Reverend Keith Anderson started so that is the first day you mean."  That is correct, but also incorrect.  (Listen we are Lutheran, the only absolutes are Grace and Casseroles).  Though it is a first day that has been in the works for months.  It is the first day with the staff being fully together to begin what will be years of ministry together and the congregational family who just got 6 new human members and one dog. 

It is was the first day for all of us.  The first day when everyone is dealing with new office locations, new staff members, and if you leave it to the Youth Director, Ray Hopkins to greet the new pastor with "Hey, I thought you would be taller."  However it is everyone's first day.  Sunday it will be the first Sunday with both pastors and ready to start down the discipleship path together. 

We have been down a relatively short journey for a church in the "Call Process", but that does not mean it was easy on many the community.  We had great leadership in Pastor Dyan Lawlor and our church leadership, but now we can shoot for the stars and beyond.  We can take on more and continue to grow even more than before.

People call the weekend after Labor Day Weekend, "Rally Day" which is designed to be a point when we all rally back at church after summer, but that first means that we haven't been here this whole time.  We have been here, we have had Vacation Bible School, went to the Appalachia Service Project, sent youth to New Orleans, had a parsonage project kicked off and worked to have it ready in "weeks", and we will have a church picnic September 9th.  So UDLC may not need to "Rally", but perhaps celebrate as a whole family and welcome the fall and coming school year.