I SO wish I had brought my camera with me to church this morning, because as I sat at the grand piano up front during the children’s sermon, I had a ringside seat to a sight we see Sunday after Sunday here at Holy Communion Lutheran Church . . . Pastor Bill Grimbol, surrounded by the children of the congregation, delivering one of his children’s sermons. Today had a truly classic moment- when Pastor Bill asked what big occasion was coming up, some youngster piped up with “the Rose Bowl!” Kids do say the darndest things, but it’s also fun to see how Pastor Bill manages to take whatever unexpected thing a kid says with such easy, warm graciousness as well as lightning quick wit.
Bill Grimbol became Holy Communion’s senior pastor this past summer, and it has been an exciting ride thus far. Bill is what is often called in our church tradition a “son of the congregation.” That is, Pastor Bill grew up at Holy Communion- this is his home congregation- so he is now senior pastor at the church where he once ran up and down the aisles as a youngster. So Pastor Bill serves us with an exceptionally rich sense of our congregation’s history and traditions. On the other hand, Pastor Bill has served a Presbyterian Church out east for the last quarter century (long story) so he has been more recently anchored in the Presbyterian tradition, particularly when it comes to Sunday morning worship. Pastor BIll is also someone who is incapable of doing anything halfway, so he has stepped boldly into his new role, eager to lead this congregation into its new chapter with confidence and hope. So these past few months have been exciting- fun- and a bit turbulent at times. But in a time when so many so-called mainline congregations are struggling just to stay afloat and survive, I can’t get over how good it feels to be part of a church that feels ALIVE.
There are so many things I appreciate about Pastor Bill Grimbol, but one of them is that he is so much about love- about reminding people that God loves them lavishly – and about reminding people to love each one another. He is also all about affirming people, and one of the things he has taken great pains to do is acknowledge the good work that people are doing in our many and varied ministries. Not that (for instance) working in our food pantry is about accolades – but it’s important to let people know that what they are doing is making a difference – and that what they are doing is noticed and appreciated. And of course it’s not so much about making people feel good about themselves as it is about lifting up these ministries and encouraging more and more people to be part of them.
I also came to appreciate something else about Pastor Bill- his humility and openness, which I think is rather rarely found in people as charismatic and energetic as he is. I learned this first hand when I found myself compelled to share some concerns with him about some things that were happening in Sunday morning worship. I wrote the email with some hesitancy but also with confidence that he would understand where I was coming from – and he could not have been more gracious. I so appreciate someone as strong and vibrant as Pastor Bill also being so humble and so open. That is an exceedingly rare combination of qualities, and I so appreciate both of those aspects of his personality.
More than anything, I deeply appreciate – even cherish – Pastor Bill’s great joy and optimism – even though he has tasted more than his fair share of difficulty…. in losing his first wife, in seeing his second wife struggle with some very tough health challenges, and he himself undergoing open heart surgery earlier this year. But clearly Pastor Bill is a tree planted in very firm and fertile soil, and I feel very blessed indeed to call him my pastor, my colleague, and my friend.
pictured above: A moment from the service earlier this year when Pastor Bill was officially installed as our new senior pastor. To the left is his predecessor, Bishop Jeff Barrow – a tough act to follow, to say the least.