Lisa Pollard Testimony

Good morning my name is Lisa Pollard. I’m a new, returning member of the congregation. I grew up here is what I mean to say exactly. So from my perch back there in the alto section, I can’t see a lot of the congregation, but I have an unfettered view of what I call “kid row.” Which is to say the collection of incredibly cute children who sit on this side of the church. I love to watch them not only because they are cute because they allow me to reminisce about my really joyful childhood spent here in this place. Poor Barbara Avery, who sits to my left in choir, there’s nothing so sacred that I can’t interrupt her to announce that baby Richard Newman has entered the sanctuary. I am besotted with him and happy every time he makes his presence known.

With my right eye, on this side, I can see Shirley and Bob Dempel who have been witnesses to my life since I was on “kid row,” which in the day meant being in the junior choir up here where everyone could see us all the time. I know that from the testimonies from Lily and Eleanor recently, our young people in this church, benefit the way I did from the pledges of people like Shirley and Bob who were devoted to keeping the lights on and the love flowing - the fabric knitted tightly between all of us. I thought about the differences between the relationship between my left and my right eye, last winter when Jim and Muriel Morrow, who were long time members of the church died, and I was sad, but the feeling that stayed with me, the longest was my gratitude for their pledges, for their witness to my life for their role, that is now my role. I don’t mean to say kids “I’m watching you,” but I am. My role is keeping the lights on and keeping the love flowing and keeping the fabric between us knitted tightly. That’s my pledge. I hope you’ll join me. Thanks.