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Real People ... Their Stories
Max Hanna
The loving support of First Presbyterian has been a part of my life since
I was very small. Its members have been brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles
to me on more occasions than I can recall. I can't picture a better place to
have had the opportunity of growing. The services, people, and activities of
this church have always been wonderfully nurturing.
However if you had asked me a number of years ago I probably would not
have thought to tell you about the love exuding from my church, but instead I
would have told you about how much fun I had at the last lock-in, mid-winter
retreat, or choir trip. There was nothing wrong with those things, or the
fact that they were first on my mind at the time. That's simply the way that
many an adolescent mind works. Now, though, I see that I just didn't
entirely grasp what it meant for God to be working in my life. Until I began
to really contemplate what it meant to be a Christian I had always heard
about the Holy Spirit and God operating in the lives of people. In fact I
had heard about it so much that I had begun to take it for granted. Just
assuming that there was always some invisible hand guiding us; all we had to
do was keep breathing and God made sure that the right series of events
played out. Christianity, it seemed to me, was a much more of a passive sort
of thing.
Over the past few years, however, I've realized that Christianity is
anything but passive! It is a golden opportunity to mobilize ones self and
accomplish so much. It's much easier to hear the Spirit moving you when you
are actively listening! As I start on my lifelong journey of outreach and
service to God, I begin to notice that the opportunity to perform Christian
works is everywhere. When our eyes our open we can't help but see the need
for us in all places that we look. I regret that I've allowed work and other
things to be restrictions and distractions from my fulfilling the desire to
serve, but I believe that that's one of those struggles that all of us are
faced with.
First Presbyterian Church has offered me an exceptional foundation to take
Spiritual root in. Now, with such strength of Spirit supporting me I am very
excited to take an active roll in wherever the Spirit guides me, doing my
best to do good works and approach every situation with my faith in mind.
And I couldn't be at a better church to help me out!
Max Hanna
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Page last modified on 07/20/05
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