The Pastor's Weekly Message

When we ask a person, “where are you from,” we’re asking: “Who are you?” “What makes you tick?” We are trying to find out in a matter of minutes whether we have things in common, whether we should invest time in forming a relationship, and unfortunately sometimes whether someone belongs.

Where am I From?

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri where my family and I remained until summer of 1967. We then moved outside of Chicago, Illinois. I finished grade school, attended high school and college in Illinois. In the fall of 1979 my family moved to Columbia, Maryland.

I am the eldest child of Alvin (a retired union arbitrator) and Gloria Vincent (a retired benefits specialist); the eldest sister of Angela Marie (a Howard County Dept. of Education employee), Judith Palmer (a geotechnical engineer) and Alvin Jr. (a union vice president); grandchild of Singleton (a dixieland jazz musician) and LaVerta Palmer (a retired beautician); William (a retired meat cutter) and Julia Vincent (a department store worker); great grandchild of Lula Mae Harris; and Harrison (a janitor) and Rebecca McFall.

I am of Catholic roots and now converted as Methodist. I am a second career pastor, a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt... none of which fully captures the deep essence of who I am.

To know me can not be gleaned by any one snap shot of my existence or experiences.

Where I am from is not really the question. The question is, do you want to spend time to find out?

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5 (NRSV)

Peace,
Pastor Pat