Countdown
The countdown begins. Today is May 2, thirteen days from Liam Goligher's entry onto the pulpit of Tenth Church. Here is the Tenth Press article I wrote for yesterday to give an update and plans.
The Golighers’ Arrival
The Lord willing, our new senior minister, Dr. Liam Goligher, will take his place in the pulpit of Tenth Presbyterian Church on May 15. We give thanks to the Lord for his provision of a minister who follows in the long tradition of Tenth Church, providing faithful expository preaching of God’s Word. We welcome both Liam and his wife Christine into our church family.
The Golighers are in transition at this time. Liam preached his last sermon at Duke Street Church on Easter Sunday. He and Christine will arrive in the states on May 10, when his work visa takes effect. They plan to stay with their daughter in New Jersey until Saturday. They are staying in Canada until then. Beginning May 15, Liam will preach both morning and evening services for the short term. How long he will preach in the evening is yet to be determined.
The next significant date will be the following Sunday, May 22. The evening service will include his installation. Dr. Mark Johnston, senior minister of Proclamation Presbyterian Church and long-time friend of Liam, will deliver the sermon. And a special guest will participate: Phil Ryken will return to give the charge to the congregation. A light reception will follow.
June 4 is the date of our annual church picnic held at Garrett-Williamson Estate near Newtown Square. The hours will be 12:00–7:00 PM, though most people typically arrive from 1:00 on. We will have a “Highland Games” theme as we welcome our Scottish minister and his English wife. Kilts are optional!
It appears that the Golighers will live in Parish 3, specifically in the University City area. They are planning to close on a house May 20. Until that time, they will be living in New Jersey.
Speaking on behalf of the pastoral selection committee, Liam’s arrival is clearly the work of God’s providence. It “so happened” that he preached the first two Sundays following our Senior Minister’s departure. This was not unusual because he had been a guest minister for several Sundays each summer for the previous four years. As the months went on, we reviewed the applications and recommendations for many excellent ministers, but his name remained at the “top of the leader board.”
One reason we were drawn to Liam was the providential work we observed in his own life. Growing up, he was impacted by the preaching ministry of Donald Barnhouse. As a young minister, that influence was supplemented by the preaching and commentaries of James Boice, whom he met at a “chance encounter” in a store. While pastoring in Canada, he formed a friendship with Mariano DiGangi, our senior minister between Barnhouse and Boice. And he developed a friendship with Phil Ryken, who consequently invited him to preach in the summers. It seemed that God had been preparing him all his life to finish out his work in the church that had impacted his own ministry.
Speaking on behalf of the congregation, Liam’s arrival is assuring and exciting. It is assuring in that we have a preacher who will ably carry on such a work that we value highly—the faithful proclamation of God’s Word. And it is exciting because Liam himself is excited about ministering to us and with us. We look with anticipation to how the Spirit will use him to pastor us and to lead us to minister together.
The Golighers’ Arrival
The Lord willing, our new senior minister, Dr. Liam Goligher, will take his place in the pulpit of Tenth Presbyterian Church on May 15. We give thanks to the Lord for his provision of a minister who follows in the long tradition of Tenth Church, providing faithful expository preaching of God’s Word. We welcome both Liam and his wife Christine into our church family.
The Golighers are in transition at this time. Liam preached his last sermon at Duke Street Church on Easter Sunday. He and Christine will arrive in the states on May 10, when his work visa takes effect. They plan to stay with their daughter in New Jersey until Saturday. They are staying in Canada until then. Beginning May 15, Liam will preach both morning and evening services for the short term. How long he will preach in the evening is yet to be determined.
The next significant date will be the following Sunday, May 22. The evening service will include his installation. Dr. Mark Johnston, senior minister of Proclamation Presbyterian Church and long-time friend of Liam, will deliver the sermon. And a special guest will participate: Phil Ryken will return to give the charge to the congregation. A light reception will follow.
June 4 is the date of our annual church picnic held at Garrett-Williamson Estate near Newtown Square. The hours will be 12:00–7:00 PM, though most people typically arrive from 1:00 on. We will have a “Highland Games” theme as we welcome our Scottish minister and his English wife. Kilts are optional!
It appears that the Golighers will live in Parish 3, specifically in the University City area. They are planning to close on a house May 20. Until that time, they will be living in New Jersey.
Speaking on behalf of the pastoral selection committee, Liam’s arrival is clearly the work of God’s providence. It “so happened” that he preached the first two Sundays following our Senior Minister’s departure. This was not unusual because he had been a guest minister for several Sundays each summer for the previous four years. As the months went on, we reviewed the applications and recommendations for many excellent ministers, but his name remained at the “top of the leader board.”
One reason we were drawn to Liam was the providential work we observed in his own life. Growing up, he was impacted by the preaching ministry of Donald Barnhouse. As a young minister, that influence was supplemented by the preaching and commentaries of James Boice, whom he met at a “chance encounter” in a store. While pastoring in Canada, he formed a friendship with Mariano DiGangi, our senior minister between Barnhouse and Boice. And he developed a friendship with Phil Ryken, who consequently invited him to preach in the summers. It seemed that God had been preparing him all his life to finish out his work in the church that had impacted his own ministry.
Speaking on behalf of the congregation, Liam’s arrival is assuring and exciting. It is assuring in that we have a preacher who will ably carry on such a work that we value highly—the faithful proclamation of God’s Word. And it is exciting because Liam himself is excited about ministering to us and with us. We look with anticipation to how the Spirit will use him to pastor us and to lead us to minister together.
posted by M Clark at 5/02/2011 11:03:00 AM
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