By Ed Thompson

2019 was an outstanding year. For me personally, the high point came on March 2 when my granddaughter, Felicity Genevieve Johnson, was born. Then, in August, my wife and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. For the presbytery, we welcomed several new pastors into the fold. Unfortunately, there were also some retirements and a few deaths over the past 12 months, but while things weren’t completely upbeat here in PWV, I’d say that, overall, it was a very good year.  Continuing a tradition I started back in Northern Kansas, as my last newsletter article of the year, I offer up my personal Top 10 list.

1. Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the Presbyterian Church in the Kanawha Valley
On March 17, nearly 20 churches from across the Kanawha Valley gathered at the Little Theater in the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center to celebrate this history that traces back to the founding of First Presbyterian Church, Charleston; Kanawha United Presbyterian Church, and the Kanawha Saline Presbyterian Church back in 1819. I was honored to preach that day, and what made it even more special is that I felt like I knew almost everyone there.

2. Herbert Nelson speaking at the February Presbytery meeting
We were honored to have the Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) with us. I think we had been on his schedule for more than a year and a half because he’s booked that far out, but it was certainly worth the wait. He was very intense and yet very personal. Plus, he has a West Virginia connection – his high school basketball coach was from Beckley.

3. Jessica Lilly of West Virginia Public Broadcasting speaking at the August Presbytery meeting
I’ve listened to her on the radio on Inside Appalachia and had heard her speak in person at a previous State of Appalachia conference sponsored by the West Virginia Council of Churches, so I knew she’d be good. She was. In spite of – or maybe because of – the technology glitches, she simply told her story, engaging us and helping us to reflect on the region we call home. Stephen Baldwin’s sermon carried on the theme. Plus, those of us who came in the night before the meeting enjoyed some good food and good fellowship at Bluestone.

4. Working with Rise Against Hunger at the November Presbytery meeting.
I wasn’t sure this was going to work. It did. I also didn’t think we could pack 15,000 meals in about an hour. We did that too. Plus, it was fun. At least part of the credit for that lies with my terrific tablemates.

5. Dedication of the solar panels at Glenville Presbyterian Church
I’m impressed that two of the smaller churches in the presbytery have installed solar panels on their buildings. (Spencer Presbyterian was the first.) I was also impressed that the panels on the Glenville church had generated more electricity than they had used thus far in the month of September. Granted, September was a hot and dry month; nevertheless, that got my attention. May these two churches show us the way into the future.

6. Packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child at Spring Creek Presbyterian Church
I had heard about this project but had never experienced it firsthand until I visited Spring Creek Presbyterian Church on World Communion Sunday. We were able to put together 500 shoeboxes in a little more than an hour. I think there were maybe 40 people there that day. It was hard work, but it was also fun working together. Hopefully, those shoeboxes will bring some joy to children who might not get anything for Christmas other than one of those shoeboxes that were packed with love.

7 & 8. Ordinations of Amanda Hill and Maggie Rust
These were the two ordinations that happened in the presbytery this year. One took place on a snowy day in January; the other on what I remember as a fine autumn afternoon in October. One was for a chaplaincy position at WVU Medicine; the other was as the pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Bluefield. Both services were marked by joy, as well as by excellent preaching. Even though they happened at opposite ends of the presbytery (Morgantown and Bluefield), these events indicate there’s a new generation of ministers coming along, and that gives me hope for the future.

9. Closing worship service of McKinnon Presbyterian Church
Technically, this happened last year, but since it took place on Dec. 30, which was after I drew up my Top Ten list for 2018, I’ve decided I can include it here. In some ways, this broke my heart. I had served as the pastor of McKinnon for more than 12 years from April 1995-May 2007. Although I didn’t want to see them close, I also knew it was the right decision. The sanctuary was packed for the closing worship service, and it felt like a family reunion with all the children and grandchildren of members and former members in attendance. Certainly it helps to know that the building is still being used as a church, but it still tugs at my heart every time I drive past McKinnon.

10. Closing worship service at the Waverly Presbyterian Church building
I suppose you could say that we saw this coming. When the Waverly and Bethel Presbyterian Churches merged, they didn’t create a megachurch. Instead, they crafted a larger-but-still-small church that had two buildings. They gave it a good go for more than a decade, but financial realities led to the recognition that the congregation could really only afford to support one building. Pastor Elizabeth Campbell-Maleke and Pastor Emeritus Ken Calebaugh lea a well-crafted worship service that gave church members a chance to share their memories as well as the opportunity to look to the future. I’m honored to be a part of occasions like this.

There are certainly other memorable occasions in 2019: preaching in Helvetia, worshiping at Enslow Park on Labor Day Sunday, the Pentecost theme of the May Presbytery meeting (pictured), the Small Church Conference, the Synod Regional Gathering at Jumonville in Pennsylvania, Big Tent and the Mid Council Leaders Gathering, which were both in Baltimore. I’ll stop there, although I could go on. What will you remember about 2019? What events make your Top 10 list for the year?