Church Family,

There are some moments in the story of a people of faith that are heightened in their significance.

I think of the moment in Genesis when God called Abraham to go to an unknown land, and to follow God in faith. What God did through Abraham’s obedience would shape the people of Israel for generations to come. In the New Testament, I think of the day of Pentecost, when Peter stood up to preach, and the Holy Spirit descended on the crowd in such a way that faith in Jesus began to spread to many nations. The church of Jesus Christ was forever impacted by God’s use of Peter in that moment.

In the story of our own congregation, we have had a number of those kinds of moments as well. When a group of Christians living in Glen Ellyn gathered in the Glenbard High School music room in 1926, they had no way of knowing how God would use their faithfulness to impact generations after them. When our congregation trusted God to follow where God was leading, even during historical times of economic hardship, and war, and cultural strife, those people did not know exactly how God would use their faithfulness. But here we are, still engaged in mission and ministry for Jesus Christ, because of the faithfulness and sacrifice of those who have come before us at First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn.

I believe that we are currently in another one of those seasons of heightened significance in the story of our faith community. To continue carrying out God’s mission for us as a Jesus people, we must take some bold steps forward together. This new, uncharted territory for our church will require all of us who call First Presbyterian our church home to follow God in our faith to places we have never seen before.

This is what the “All In” initiative is all about. Over the next two years, we believe the Holy Spirit will lead us into an exciting next chapter as a community of Jesus followers, as we go “All In” for ministry today, “All In” for the future, and “All In” for others.

Some moments in a story are just different; they are critically important, they are turning points, they are extraordinary. And it is in these special, challenging, and exhilarating moments that we get to see God’s faithfulness to us most clearly.

Excited to be alongside you during this time of adventure and significance,