What a weekend!

The building is quiet now, but on Saturday and Sunday, it was filled with laughter and tears and the "buzz" of old friends and new friends engaged in wonderful conversation, as we celebrated Heritage’s 50th anniversary.
 
As old friends and new gathered to "catch up" both with Heritage history and their own friendships, we were blessed with the presence of Heritage’s first Pastor, Lloyd Haney and his wife Wilma, as he shared with us the faith story of the beginning of the church. All of us were blessed with the presence and memories of people who had been present at that beginning, as they remembered their experiences and shared them with others who have been here 30 years and 10 years and 1 year.
 
Saturday night began with a delicious catered meal which then led into a program in the sanctuary afterwards. In music, word and power point we were reminded of what it is that makes Heritage so special to all of us. And then, we were blessed with special music written for the anniversary by Dale and Heidi.
 
Dale wrote a brass piece "Heritage (Theme and Variations)" and Heidi wrote a choral piece "We are Woven". Both were played and sung passionately by the brass choir and the Heritage Choir on Saturday night and during worship on Sunday.

And we were blessed by members Janet Ahrens, Jessica Surprenant, Jean Ripple, Harold Anderson and Jon Robinson, who throughout the weekend shared "what Heritage means to me". They were personal and emotional and spirit filled.

Throughout the past year, the Heritage archival group has been hard at work and that work found it’s fruition in a written and visual Heritage History that was shared during the weekend. Copies of that Heritage history are available at church.

On Sunday morning we gathered to worship on Pentecost. Before worship started, the Heritage Church School buried a Heritage time capsule in the front of the church. The time capsule included both the thoughts of our adults and youth and Heritage archival data. A plaque will be prepared for members of a future Heritage, who can make the opening of this capsule a part of a future anniversary celebration.
 
We celebrated with a worship service that had Communion shared by the Heritage family, both old and new.
 
A service that featured all of the Heritage music groups: Brass, Youth choir, Adult choir and chimes. And a service that ended with the congregational echoes of "We are Woven".

So many blessings through the years . . . that is the history of Heritage.
 
Thanks again to everyone who helped to make this past weekend a weekend to remember in our life together!

See you in church.