Pastor Marilyn returns to the front of the Sanctuary after the affirming vote of the Congregation on Sunday, September 8, 2013. (Lisa texts the good news to a friend as the church erupts in cheers.)

If you read this blog, you may already know that Imani held a congregational meeting, September 8th, during which the congregation elected me to be Imani’s Senior Pastor. It was a wonderful confirmation of my feeling of being called to this church. I am thrilled to accept this new assignment and step fully into my role as servant-leader of this community of faith!

I want to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to all of the members and friends of Imani for the warm welcome that you have given me since my return to NC. It has been great to re-connect with old friends. It has been equally gratifying to experience how open and receptive people whom I had not known before have been to me and to my ministry. I am grateful to have the blessings of both of Imani’s previous pastors - Rev. Phil Matthews and Imani’s Founder and first pastor, Rev. Wanda Floyd. I cannot imagine a smoother, more natural transition!

Lately, I’ve been thinking about habits, patterns, routines, etc.; those things that we do just because we do them. Or things that we don’t do, just because we never have. Personally, I think it’s good to stir things up every now and then; to branch out and do something different, or do something in a different way. I especially like discovering new interests and abilities by doing things I never imagined myself doing. It broadens my self-image; helps me see myself in a different way.

For example, I was never even remotely a person likely to be called “health conscious.” My diet was disgraceful. I did no more exercise than was required to get from one seat to another during my daily, mostly sedentary routine. I remember when water rarely passed my lips. I couldn’t detect a flavor in it, so I didn’t see the point.