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The Presbytery of Sierra Blanca
New Mexico
 The model rocketry class of First Presbyterian, Dexter, watches a blastoff.
He came into the chapel with awkward force, a ten-year-old warrior in search of a battle, armed with jerky bravado, screechy battle cries, and quick, if graceless, movements. Nine students followed in clusters of eager energy and scarcely marshaled chaos. They came for the second time slot of The Virtual Travel Adventure Club in the after-school program “Three to Five Alive.” “Alive” might have referred to the school’s attending youth or the quickened partnering church itself: First Presbyterian in Dexter.
The young warrior attended each Wednesday, shouting his boredom, discontent, and critique. His voice, though not the loudest, was ever the most exercised, coupled with a remarkable ability for ceaseless movement. He accurately pinpointed failures of the mentor, making special cases of lackluster entertainment value and imperfect structure, and caused at least one teacher who participated in the cleanup/mending/gasping/fellowship to wonder, “What was I thinking?”
Then, launch day arrived for the rocket building class. The rockets were louder, bolder, and more powerful than the young warrior. With wide eyes and unaccustomed vulnerability he sought his leader for the second period, even in advance of its schedule. “Can we go the chapel?” he asked quietly, knowledge of something powerful, big, and mysterious painted on his face. He reached to touch his teacher’s cross necklace.
“Sure,” she said, gathering those excited faces that would follow in slow return to The Virtual Travel Adventure Club, wondering as she walked about humility, mercy, and justice — wondering at how each of us may accept grace.
The Presbytery of Sierra Blanca has 2,133 members in 22 congregations.
Presbytery Staff
Bob Williams, stated clerk
Kathy Carrasco, administrative assistant
Sharon Caldwell, assistant clerk
Samuel Lanham, moderator
Anne Gravel, resource room
Jeff Finch, interim executive presbyter
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Geraldine Upshaw, BOP
Elder Linda Valentine, GAMC
Kristine Valerius, OGA
Loving God, there are times in life that are loud and challenging and exhausting. Thank you for these times that teach us how to accept each situation with the grace that you show to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Ps. 33, 146 Ps. 85, 94
Amos 3:1–11
2 Peter 1:12–21; Matt. 21:12–22
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