The Church Building's 30th Anniversary - conclusion

From the "Lifestyles" section of the Friday, October 4, 1996 edition of the Daily News-Sun:

Presbyterians mark 30-year milestone

Celebration heralds ecumenical sharing

By J.J. McCORMACK
Senior staff writer

(Continued from yesterday.)

...[Rev.] Calhoun, who retired in 1979 and worships at First Presbyterian Church, said he has noticed a "deepening of the spiritual life" of the congregation as it marks 30 years of worship under the same roof. "There's a greater appreciation for the ministry that can be rendered to people who are mature," he said.

[Rev.] Wright described his nine years of ministering in First Presbyterian Church as a "tremendous experience."  He described the congregation as the "most spiritual, responsive and loving" group he had ever been associated with.

Wright, Calhoun and the Rev. Dennis Clarke, the current senior pastor of the church, all said anniversaries are important milestones in a church's life that should be celebrated.

"It lifts up the memory of people who have given so much to the life of the church - people who have been so much a vital part of the life of the church who are left only to the memorial books," Calhoun said.

"This day and age, it's good to check back on your roots," Clarke said.

Anniversaries serve as a reminder of the people who worked hard in establishing the church, and they inspire others to "capture the vision of reaching out and helping others," Clarke said.

Anniversaries are also a time to look to the future, Calhoun said.

Come visit us at First Presbyterian as we celebrate our 50th anniversary and shape our vision for the church's next 50 years!