This coming Sunday is Homecoming Sunday. During the morning worship services we will celebrate those who have been members of Unity for over 40 years. We will also remember those who have died in the past year. Finally, we’ll recognize those who have joined within the past year. It will be a special time of celebration and remembrance.
At noon we’ll host a Homecoming Lunch in the Fellowship Hall and picnic shelter. Unity will provide fried chicken and sliced ham. We invite you to bring a side dish or desert. For kids, bounce houses and games will be set up outside.
Unity was founded in 1764, which makes this our 258th year of ministry. Wow!! What a legacy!
This Sunday, we will celebrate the legacy of this church.
Consider how many people have contributed to the ministry of Unity over the past 258 years…
How many people have served on a team, given to an offering, volunteered at a VBS, walked along our campus, sat in the pews?
Countless faithful Christians have supported the work of this church over the decades. I am deeply grateful for each and every one of them. The church we have today is built off of their foundation.
A church is only successful if the people who make up the church pour their heart and soul into the community. I’ve seen that to be true here at Unity. The people of the church deeply care about this community. It is inspiring to watch.
Let me give you a few recent examples of this church in action:
Over $20,000 has been raised to support Ukrainian refugees. All of this is being used to fund a shelter in Hungary. We’ve been told by the person running the shelter that at first, most of the people coming only stayed a week or two because they had another place to go— usually a distant family member. These people were simply passing through after fleeing from their homes. We were told last week that those who are arriving now often have nowhere to go.
The situation is dire, but Unity is providing a light during this dark time. Because of you, refugees have a safe place to stay who otherwise wouldn’t have.
Almost $6,000 has been donated to the One Great Hour Of Sharing offering. This offering will be combined with presbyterians all over the world who give to this program. The impact of these dollars will be immense and transformative. This offering supports the Presbyterian Hunger Program, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the Self-Development of People.
The way Unity gives through missions is deeply inspiring.
Or another example: in 2005 this congregation took a leap of faith and took out a 2.5 million dollar loan to build our beautiful new sanctuary and fellowship hall. This congregation was future focused and could tell that the church would need more space and updated technology as Denver continued to grow. Because of Unity’s faithfulness, as of last month the loan only has $669,227 left on it. Wow! When I think of the countless ways these facilities have been used by this congregation and the wider community, I can’t help but smile.
It is an honor to get to partner with such a healthy, vibrant congregation. On Sunday, we will celebrate our legacy while looking forward to the ways God will use us in the future.
May our 258th year be Unity’s best one yet!
-Pastor David
