Well, my friends, it is Groundhog Day today. I'm currently searching for news for you all as to whether the groundhog saw its shadow today, and I know where to look-- at the meeting with Presbyterian Women last week, I discovered that the happy little hamlet of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is (according to the plastic cup the member of Presbyterian Women gave me) the "Weather Capital of the World." The PW member said that Punxsutawney is also home to a huge Groundhog Day festival. She was very proud of this fact.

Aha! According to Jason's Groundhog Day page at http://www.gojp.com/groundhog/, Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog saw his shadow at 7:30 am Eastern Time this morning. It looks like six more weeks of winter. Apparently this groundhog has been predicting the weather since 1887, and residents say he has never been wrong. Bummer.

Enough about groundhogs. Here's my real question for the day-- why are you involved (or not involved) in the church? Simple question, not so simple answer. Institutional church and church attendance creates unique problems for the college student. Particularly for those raised in a mainline denomination, college provides the first opportunity to claim faith as a personal choice. What choices are you making? Why?

I'll tell you a little about my own reasons for involvement. First of all, it is important to say that I was not raised Presbyterian. I grew up in the Church of God, a Pentecostal denomination. Though I eventually chose the Presbyterian Church in college, what my Pentecostal heritage did give me was a very strong connection to the community of faith, the "saints," if you will. As my early mentors in faith, I've particularly wanted to carry on the legacy of my grandmother and great-grandmother-- a legacy of significant church involvement coupled with unshakable faith born out of hardship. My experience with them has made Christian faith part of my core identity, something I can't shake off even when I might want to.

Maybe that is part of why I eventually chose Presbyterianism. The Presbyterian system emphasizes connectional church and the community of faith that stretches beyond denominational lines. It also incorporates the values of social justice that I claimed in college into the life and work of the larger church. Because for me, the church is a place where we worship God, connect to others, and reach out to serve God through service to others.

Well, there you go-- why I'm involved in the church today (and working for you all). Feel free to post comments on your own reasons for church involvement. I'd love to hear from you!

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." --1 Corinthians 12:27.

Kelsey