On this past Sunday we celebrated the 160th Anniversary Of St. George’s Church, Georgetown. While I was leafing through the written and photo records of our archives, I realized that too often that written history’s focus was too heavily on the leaders, the clergy. But what, I hoped we could focus on this year as we mark this communities 160 years was its’ people. Leaders have a certain amount of importance, but it who we are and how we act in the community is really about the people, and the difference that God makes in each of our lives.

Being a Christian changes us. God transforms us into better people. Stronger people. Better able to face the challenges of life but also better able to care for each other, our community, and creation. For 160 years St. George’s has been part of God’s work in doing just that in the lives of the people who came here and the lives of the people who they touched.

The church is the people living out their faith. And the good work done by the people. So much of that good work and living out of our faith was done when we banded together in organizations and groups. Many hands and hearts can offer get care and do good things. In our past, this was true of church groups like Women’s Auxiliary, the Mother’s Union, The Daughter’s of the Church, and in outreach projects like “Open Door” and The Bridge ministry.

The strength and greatness of each of these groups was in their power to focus our faith. All these groups are made up of individual people, each contributing a small part. Each acting out their faith in Christ. The faces and people changed. They were people who lived here all their life and people who moved here. They were young and old. They were the war brides after WWII or a bunch of families that arrived with each new sub division added to the town. And over the years new groups formed and some groups closed up. But always groups of Christians have gathered in faith to do good works. 160 years of faithful people Proclaiming the Good News.
Their achievements have benefited us, providing us with place in this community and a history of good examples.