Friday, May 10, 2024  

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Today's Hymn
“How Firm a Foundation”

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in God’s excellent Word!
What more can be said than to you God hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”

from John Rippon’s A Selection of Hymns (1787)
Hymn 463, Glory to God
verse 1–2

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Reflection

Sometimes “God’s excellent word” can be heard in the voice of those around you. Friends you know, or friends you barely know, can randomly say things that can transform you in profound ways. These interactions are frequent at Fourth Church through the Tutoring and social outreach programs, but also for me on a personal level. This is one of the reasons I love this church — because you meet some pretty amazing people every day!

As many of you know, my wife has been elected Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, New York, which means we will be moving this June. While I am genuinely proud and excited for her, leaving Fourth Church has been a difficult, yet necessary, transition for me. For weeks after we knew we were moving to Rochester, it was the occasional words from people at Fourth Church that really helped me through this time of transition. I heard “God's excellent word” when someone said, “I am so excited for you and whatever is next in your life.” This was a ray of hope for me that I really needed. And indeed, there is a new chapter now for me: I will be the new full-time Organist and Director of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Rochester.

When times are dark, and we all experience dark times, church is a great place to hear “God’s excellent word,” whether it is through a scripture reading, in a sermon, a piece of music, or the kind word of a friend. This is why church is so important. If you haven’t been to church for a while, why not give it a try? Or if you go regularly, why not invite a friend along? You just might hear “God’s excellent word.”

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Prayer
Loving God, thank you for working through your people here on earth so that we may hear your ‘excellent word’ spoken and sung aloud. Amen.

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Written by John Sherer, Organist and Director of Music

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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