Lent Faith Stories: Anne Torgerson

I have the best job.

When I go to work I get to tell stories, write dramas, paint pictures, make cookies. I get to teach history, enforce good manners and plan festivals. I sew costumes and set up tents. Next month I'm creating a museum. And through it all I get to boldly sing about God, tell about God, and celebrate God.

I have the best job.

And I want to thank Palms Presbyterian for playing a large part in leading me to this place.

Last spring the Women's Network hosted Beth Moore's study of Esther. I am a big fan of Beth Moore so I was eager to sign up for the class. From the very beginning Beth promised that the book of Esther wasn't just about one orphan girl realizing her destiny but it was about all of us finding our destiny. Feeling that my life had become rather stagnant, I held my breath and completed every assignment. Oh what would my destiny be?

The class ended. Good class. My destiny? No clue.

But four of us from our small group at the study decided to continue to meet and start a new study. We chose a book recommended to us by Andrew. It was How to Find Your Personal Path to Success - Keys to Living Out Your Purpose and Passion by Robin Chaddock. I was in it more because the women were fun than because I really thought I would get anything out of the book.

Long story short - I did get something out of it. I recognized the abilities, interests and passions that I had within me that I hadn't been fully utilizing. Just as I reached the end of the book, an ad for a job came to my attention. Normally I would have let it pass. But armed with a new sense of purpose and adventure I took a chance. As Mordecai told Esther, "Who knows?"

Who knew? I love my job as the Children's Minister at Ponte Vedra United Methodist Church. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to delve into the studies offered at Palms and allow them to change how I thought about myself and what I had to contribute. And I love my friends and family at Palms who continue to assist my development as they answer my questions, "How do you . . . " "Where did you . . . " "How can I . . . "

Thank you Palms Presbyterian!

Anne Torgerson

Lent Devotional: March 19

"Love never ends".

Never?

Never!

Really?

Really!

You sure?

I'm sure!

Wow.

I know.



(Reflection from Dr. Tom Walker)

Lent Devotional: March 18

Standing in front of his tiny church, we were looking over one of Jamaica's green mountain peaks...we stood in the muddy rut made by the wheel of a passing mule drawn cart...he turned and said, "I pray for you and your church." Tears flowed.



(Reflection by Rev. Carol DiGiusto)

Lent Devotional: March 17

She and I looked down into a great pit filled with all manner of horrible sights and creatures and miserable looking people. And I wondered aloud what it might be, and she said it might just be hell, and I agreed it was good to keep them locked away down there forever, but she just kept staring and I'm pretty sure I heard her say that they weren't locked in forever, they just hadn't finished therapy yet.


(Reflection from Rev. Andrew Kukla)

Lent Devotional: March 16

Most of the time
when I type the word "love" on my iPhone
I accidentally type "live" instead
and I wonder if
it isn't the same thing
after all.

(Reflection from Rev. Katie Day)

Lent Devotional: March 15

From the Desk of Rev. Laurie Furr-Vancini:


I arrive before everyone else.
Loads of food for BEAM lies on the floor.
Books on the front desk counter - heartbeat of God and pillars of creation.
Boys from the American Boys Choir frolic in the garden.
Gathering, 10, 20, 30 in red, white and blue.
Hackysacking, wandering, picking pomegranates.
My desk strewn with cameras, fish banks, worship prep, LOGOS, VBS paperwork.
The day to come.
All is right with the world.
God smiles.
Across the globe the numbers of dead from Japan rise as tall as tsunami waves.
God weeps.

Lent Devotional: March 14

(Sermon excerpt from Sunday, March 13th
"God is Insanely Loving" by the Rev. Andrew Kukla)

All that we find and see in scripture that is filled with the proliferation of sin AND forgiveness, brokenness AND restoration, and the time and again way in which God is moved to try again with God's people means that God - despite God's anger and frustrated hopes - has not given up... God's deep, passionate love of everything will not give up.

They say the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over expecting a different result. And by every shred of evidence I see, God is insane... God is insanely in love with you - with all of us - with all of creation.

"If you do not know love, you do not know God, for God is love."


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If God loves everyone and everything, and never gives up that love, how does that have a radical call on how we might choose to act towards everyone regardless of those things that we think divide us: race, creed, nation, status, world view, and even how they might treat us?