This is the Sunday we are celebrating the 150^th anniversary of our church.  One of the things we are doing through this 150^th year is reading through the Bible and, on Sundays, taking our scripture readings from the books of the Bible in sequence.  Today we are looking at a passage from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, which is a little out of order, but it applies to our own church in that Paul is writing to a church that has taken the journey seriously and, in Paul’s mind, will be faithful to that journey.  The church at Philippi was founded somewhat unusually for that day, but its congregants have been faithful, and Paul is full of praise for them.  West End, too, has had some struggles along the way, but has worked through those with inspiration and design.  West End is a congregation that has shown that although individuals can be flawed in various ways, God’s appointment, grace, and strength can build community through such individuals, and thus a church can be a major part of the movement of God’s work in the world.  We are here to celebrate our church’s past and to take on the responsibility of continuing God’s work.   (NOTE: Reflecting the importance of the Word, the video begins with the scripture, but once it starts you can scroll back to the beginning of the service if you want.  The entire service is videoed.)