I have been a member of Second Pres since September of 2018 and found the church after returning from my deployment less than three weeks prior.
Needless to say, I am a service member in the “Wild Blue Yonder” of . . . ? You guess it, the United States Air Force! I have lived an adventurous, topsy-turvy life thus far and have done - or currently do, should I say - a little bit of everything. From combat medicine and private piloting to now farming and air transportation, I’ve scrolled through the Rolodex of activities and have excelled in them all to some degree or another.
Being the Jack of All Trades, I participate at church and serve at God’s pleasure as a Deacon on the Hospitality Committee, in the choir - singing a joyful noise or playing my trumpet, and bringing the goats by, every time I can get, during our “Beautify the Yard” events.
Most of the congregation may not know one of three facts: I’m a triplet, in elementary school I went to the regional finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and I’m the middle of 12 siblings!
Yes, there are two more “Joshuas” in the world - another boy and girl. With the blessing that is my large family, it is also my most treasured aspect of our church - this family, our family, and the community we have created.
I live just over 600 miles away from my family, but it is my Second Presbyterian Church family that sustains me, especially being so far away. When I moved to Charleston back in September of 2016, I had nothing and no one. I had moved away to college in northern Ohio back in January 2015, which was a mere 2.5 hours away from home, creating some reasonable distance but nothing considerably great. However, when I got to Charleston, I longed for that sense of community and family gathering that I have since found in our church.
I feel it is important, most especially during these times, to give to the life of the church with our time, our money, and our service to sustain this loving, diverse, and vibrant community of like-minded believers, so that we may continue in fellowship for another 200+ years!
-Joshua
