On Sunday our senior pastor, Bro. Farley Stuart let us know he would not be bringing our message, but rather, Robbie Shrout, who has been our youth pastor for several years would being speaking.

Robbie has recently accepted a position as a full-time pastor in Monticello.

Before Robbie took the podium, Bro. Farley recognized the five high school graduating seniors from our church. We congratulate these five wonderful kids.

Since Robbie has been their youth pastor, he reminisced about some trips he had taken with the seniors that brought laughter. He later shed some tears while speaking about what his position as youth minister to our church meant to him.

He gave a powerful message that has lingered this week.

He asked some thought-provoking questions to the congregation: “What are your dreams?” “What is your dream for Winchester?” Then, “What is your dream for your church?”

I have to admit, all three questions made me really think.

The first question is easy and has not changed since I decided in 2010 I wanted to see all 50 states. This goal came right after I was diagnosed with stage-four cancer. It may be a selfish one, but I still have that dream.

My dreams for Winchester are big. I dream that someday, people who are a slave to drugs, alcohol and cigarettes would be no more. I feel we would have a lot less sickness and less hunger in Winchester if this were a reality.

I also dream that Winchester will not believe everything and go along with what the world wants them to.

There are still some things that are wrong according to the Bible even though our world is trying to make us accept certain sins.

I hope churches will still stand for what is Biblical and not be afraid to speak out on what is not. This does not mean we can not have love for one another.

My hope for our church is that it will grow. I pray it will be bustling with youth. I hope our upcoming Bible School will bring new members to our church. We are looking forward to more enjoying discovering the Bible. The theme this year is “Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus.” Maybe some of the kids we reach this year in Bible school will one day be recognized on their graduation from high school in our auditorium.

As I thought about the seniors who recently graduated, I also thought back to when I graduated from high school in 1966. Oh, the dreams I had. Some of them came true and some were squashed.

I said a silent prayer for the young graduates, because they too will have some of their dreams come true and others squashed. I know how hard it is when this happens.

When your dreams are squashed, it hurts. For awhile you do not know what you are going to do but if you have a relationship with God, you are able to dream again. I hope they, too, are never so far down they quit dreaming.

Think Winchester,  what are your dreams.

We all have dreams and if we asked people all over Winchester, I am sure their dreams would be varied.

We all have needs as well which come in a complete different category, I think.

Dreams, to me, are what you dare to think about outside your needs. For some, it only involves their own families. If I did only this, my dream for my grandson Simon would be that he could live a normal life but his parents have to deal with what God gave them and count him as a blessing. In reality, he truly has been, but a blessing with lots of work.

We as a community need to think of one another in our dreams. Robbie’s message made me realize this.

I want to thank Robbie for his message on Sunday that was so profound and thought-provoking.

I hope his dreams for his new church come true. I hope he will never stop dreaming and he and his family will be blessed with a smooth transition into his new community.

Thank you, Robbie, for reminding us how important dreams are in our lives.

So, Winchester, do you dare to dream? If so, what are they?

Sue Staton is a Clark County native who grew up in the Kiddville area. She is a wife, mother and grandmother who is active in her church, First United Methodist Church, and her homemakers group, Towne and Country Homemakers.