Faith at First Winter 2025-2026 Magazine

As the leaves gradually turn and our calendars fill with the rhythms of autumn, we enter a season at church that invites both gratitude and grace – a chance to look back at where we’ve been and to look ahead to what God is doing among us now. That’s especially true this fall, as our congregation prepares to celebrate an extraordinary milestone: 100 years on our East Main Street campus.

For a century, these walls and walkways, classrooms and courtyards, have served as a launching point for faith that reaches far beyond the boundaries of this place. Within them, children have learned to pray, choirs have lifted songs of praise, meals have been shared, tears have been shed, people comforted, and countless lives have been shaped by the love of Jesus Christ. Beyond them, that same love has taken root through mission partnerships, community outreach, and generations of members sent forth to serve.

As we approach this centennial celebration, our goal is not simply to honor a building, but to celebrate the stories it has made possible – the lives formed here and the impact carried outward in Christ’s name. We remember and give thanks for the foresight of those who built this campus with both beauty and purpose, creating spaces that have allowed our ministry to flourish and faith to grow. And we look forward with excitement to the next hundred years, trusting that the same Spirit that has guided us this far will continue to guide us into the future.

This issue of Faith at First shares plans for our joyful centennial celebration, along with many other stories of how God’s Spirit continues to move in and through our church. May each one remind us of our enduring calling: to be a people whose life together – within and beyond these walls – bears witness to God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

Peace,

Rev. Alan F. Dyer
Senior Pastor