Sue & Ray Kermode ~ Love First Moment

Hi, I'm Sue Kermode and I am Love First.

Hi, I'm Ray Kermode and I am Love First.

Much like the Inn for Joseph and Mary, First Church found a spot for us, when there was no room left for us at the church we were attending. About twenty years ago, I was telling Mary Mazzini that Bristol and Derek, our children, had come home from Youth Group and said they would never go back to that church. Ray and I didn't know what to do. Mary listened and invited us to First Church. Even way back then, the congregation lovingly referred to First United Methodist Church of Redding as First Church. I wonder why? While considering Mary's invitation, I remembered something my grandfather use to say, "Don't pass by one church to get to another, they all get you to the same place in the end." First Church was certainly close and we didn't pass any other churches on the way here. So we decided to give it a try.

We were scared, hurt and needed healing and comfort. Pastor Bill was a
master at healing our hearts and minds. For almost two decades he
helped strengthen our faith and resolve. We found not just a church,
but a loving family.

The youth group was small and Don Lee certainly had his hands full. So Bill called on us. Sue and I just weren't ready to help; but Bristol was. She didn't want Derek to miss out on a great experience. We knew she could do it; she had run Just Say No Club at Manzanita for three years, written, directed and produced the church Christmas play for two years. But Bill and Don didn't know this determined little girl. Yet, they were willing to take a chance on this high school kid and they put her to work with the junior high youth group. It grew because she truly cared and worked hard to make it educational and fun. It didn't hurt that Derek brought all his friends who had secret crushes on his sister. We became acquainted with some great kids and their families and loved watching them grow up over the years and come back to First Church with their own children.

When Sue and I were ready to step up and give back, we were asked to
serve on the Education Commission and eventually became the co-chairs.
We worked with some wonderful people like Tara & Ken who both went on
to chair that commission. We had some great times and enjoyed some
wonderful classes: like Process Theology, the second round of
Discipleship classes, leadership class, an awesome Stewardship class,
parenting classes, and Dick Frank's classes, where we learned a lot
about our own family dynamics and how we each showed love. I loved finding books for the book club and we made some wonderful friends, who are all very dear to us. Especially the guys I called on to help us promote classes. We had so much fun doing crazy skits for you. I will always have a picture in my heart and mind of Ray, Pat Rebol, Thom Turner, and George Winship in front of the congregation in tutus doing their very own version of ballet, or something. They never hisitated to do anything I asked of them. They were hilarious and even though I don't remember what class we were promoting, I do remember the good times and love we shared.

We were here for the wonderful music Kay brought us. Derek and Bristol became involved in her musicals. Derek was in "God Spell" and was Charlie Brown in "Your A Good Man Charlie Brown". Bristol did the choreography for Kay and worked with the cast. Ray & Derek started playing in Joyful Noise. So many good friends made through music.

We were very involved with the high school youth group. Jerry had us making breakfast for Mother's Day, Easter Brunch and mission fund raisers. We had our first mission trip to Mexico, where our hearts were truly stolen. We became so motivated we even made a family trip on our own to deliver food and supplies one Christmas. This church lovingly pulled together to provide food, clothes, supplies and funding for the Agua Viva Mission. We loaded up our jeep and stuffed monetary donations aboard and with big hearts and faith we drove across the border to deliver Christmas to our Mexican family, south of Ensenada. When we reached the first blockade of armed soldiers, we truly wished we had someone with us who was more brash, braver and spoke better Spanish. The Lord led us safely through some dangerous situations. It was worth it when we felt the love at Agua Viva Mission. They were out of food and fuel and we truly felt God sent us. We most definitely brought them Christmas.

In a pouring, drenching rain, we made our next stop at the tiny tin huts you pass going to and from the mission. They give a whole new meaning to poverty. Here we pulled out soccer balls, which went bounding off among a multitude of little feet. Bags of rice, flour, cornmeal and oranges were shared among a thankful and slightly confused group of laborers and their families. Loving eyes touched our hearts at both places. Driving home through a river up to the floorboards of the jeep, we watched trash drift by; yet felt warmed by the total experience of heart wrenching thankfulness and love that had been given to us. None of that would have been possible without the love at First Church.

Marty asked me to take on the job of Lay Leader at the 5:30 service. Which I gladly did. How could you say no to Marty? As the kids grew up and left home, we took a break from committee work to enjoy traveling and then grandkids. After retirement we started looking for ways to give back. Sure enough First Church lovingly found some places we could give back. We joined the Church and Society Commission where love abounds. Here we have found the HEART of First Church. If you really want to feel Love First attend one of their meetings. We have a loving family that meet at our home each week for Bible Study. Pastor Rod found some work for Sue. She is her own committee of one with First Connections and loves working with all the small groups and emailing everyone who leads a group of any shape or size. She works with a great team on the church website and practically lives on the computer. As for me, well, I lovingly do whatever she lovingly tells me to do.

It is the people here at First Church who have filled our lives with love and blessed us in so many ways. First Church is our family. As with any family there are trials and tribulations; but we love you all and have truly felt your love in our lives. Over the years we have lost some of our family members and they are missed. Their blessings live on in our lives and they stay in our hearts.

I am Ray Kermode and I am Love First.
And I am Sue Kermode and I am Love First.