Reflections from the field

By Brenda R. Edward

Beloved Church:

Let me tell you a true story of God’s grace found inside a small

Presbyterian (PCUSA) church located on the West Coast of our

nation. It’s a good story because our God is good. And like a

perfect Sabbath rest it is beneficial to sit back, listen, and be

reminded of our heritage over and over again. In no uncertain

terms we, the adopted sons and daughters of God, have become

the recipients of his promise of abundant life through Jesus

Christ. While this hidden life of truth, joy, peace and love is

found in Jesus Christ there are also times when his resurrection

power is made manifest in our world for our eyes to see. The purpose, of course, is

for our hearts to know. So here’s a small part of God’s grace and what my own eyes

have seen.

Back in 1895 Knox Presbyterian Church was founded in Pasadena, California. It

became a flagship church in the heart of the financial district with great wealth,

many members, and a grand building with mix of French and Gothic styles of

architecture. By 1961 the church feeling crowded by city growth decided to sell their

prime property and moved to a nearby neighborhood. The new building, however,

was not built with any Christian Education in mind. As a result, there were no Sunday

School rooms except one used as a storage closet. Adults met in fellowship hall . . .

and, well, there weren’t many children attending in 1995 when my husband and I

arrived there to serve in ministry. Being newlyweds and looking forward to having

children, I found my mouth blurting out “I’m not putting my baby in there!” for we

had just discovered an old crib covered with spider webs in the back room of an

additional church building – a run-down historic home which sat on our church

property - and it smelled so awful that I had to plug my nose.

So the hard work began: cutting down overgrown trees which caused the Sanctuary

doors to be blocked, resurfacing the parking lot, emptying storage areas and creating

a nursery, starting a children’s Sunday School hour for all ages (5 – 13), restoring a

two-story historic building through manual labor, painting the office and turquoise

trim, sprucing up the ladies room, etc….

Together, with one church elder (a retired business man willing to do “hands-on”

work) and along with a Kenyan family (who were attending Fuller Seminary and sent

to us by the hand of God), we experienced a full five years of God’s Faithfulness.

Daily he supplied our needs! Yet in my youthfulness I still struggled with a recurring

question: Where are the people? For we had a mere 60 people in worship, only 7

children (two whom belonged to us), a dwindling choir and persistent murmuring.

Today, with the eyes of Christ, I can see his time of preparation for something more

in my life and in the body of believers at Knox Presbyterian Church. At an

unexpected time, several young families decided to adopt this church as their own.

There are now small groups, many children, multiple Sunday School classes and a

youth program for teens. They have multiple staff members (2 fulltime and 3 interns)

and a good missions program targeting street evangelism in the LA area, shelter and

food for the homeless, providing human services for multi-cultural and disadvantage

families as well as caring for unwed mothers. Do you see? There is plenty of fruit for

the people of God to enjoy and share with others.

When and how did this happen? No one knows. But the Spirit of God blows.

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it

to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1: 6

Your co-laborer in Christ, Brenda