A New Era, and new experience for me

Sunday was a new experience for me. As a Baptist by upbringing, this was the first time I had seen the Methodist system in action. Our pastor of nine years, the Rev. Gary Ponder Williams, was appointed to a different church, and we received the Rev. Choongho Kwon as our pastor.

Just like everything at the Methodist Church, there was a method, and a liturgy for the moment. Liturgy seems to be out of style in our “free” age, and yet that sense of order and continuity with the past that it represents, that agelessness, is one of the things that drew us to Avondale United Methodist Church in the first place.

I could see again the sense of it, in such things as the welcome of the new pastor:

Being a choir member, I also appreciated the anthem selected for the day: All are Welcome.

The day was also the first official day that John Livingston served as church accompatist and organist.  Here is his offeratory for the day, played on the church Grand piano.

Rev. Choongho Kwon delivered his “first Sermon”, as he titled it. Here is the dangerous tendency can arise to devine the quality of a pastor soley on his preaching. style. But preaching is such a small part of a pastor’s ministry. Yet I think this sermon gives us a good look into the heart that will drive Rev. Know’s ministry.

The final clip I will present of the day comes from the reception for Rev. Kwon and his family that was held after the second service in Wesley Hall. Here we see introductions and some presentations.