When a Worship Pastor Preaches Well, this is the week the Smith family heads to Orlando to finally celebrate our 10-year-old’s eighth birthday! I’m sure you can imagine how devastating that pandemic-enforced deferral was for her. There was a lot of that going around back then. I honestly don’t know who mourned their respective delayed trips more – her, or Jim Holland! But what was longed for, has at last come near. The bags are almost (over)packed and sprinkled with pixie dust, and we’ll pull out as early on Sunday morning as I can muster the troops.
Another joy was delayed for that couple of years while we readjusted our plans and expectations. I’m so thrilled for you to finally benefit this Sunday from the pulpit ministry of our only teaching elder who has never preached at St. Patrick! As my crew travels south, you’ll have the rare privilege of being led by Rev. Will Weir to the right hand of our Lord, where the pleasures forevermore dwarf even the freshest mouse-and-wizard-themed attractions. Don’t believe me? Just read Psalm 16 and come hear him expound it on Sunday.
As a former worship pastor, I have a great appreciation for both the leap and the continuity in moving from one side of the stage to the other. I know Will is the right man to guide you through these words of glorious inheritance in our Messiah. Aside from his great story-craft sensibilities, he is a careful student of Scripture and a profoundly kind man. And you’ll need both, since there’s a treacherous road between here and there, to be sure, and it leads much farther south than we want to go. But as our Senior Pastor always says, “Everything you want is on the other side of hard!” Praise the Lord that his under-shepherds are plentiful, His Spirit is at work and his grace is everything!
PS: Each week during this series, I’ll also be including in this space two playlists – Messiah’s Mixtape, where you can hear fantastic song versions of the Psalms we’re preaching through, and also a “Staff Member Mixtape,” where you can enjoy some of the songs that have shaped us in the past or are inspiring us today. This week, it's Will!