Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ!
Thirteen years ago there was snow on the ground as the movers transported the boxes, furniture, and the piano into our brand new home in Savage. A week earlier these items were in a parsonage in New Jersey. It was a time for new beginnings as Katie and I signed the paperwork on our first home purchase. Two days after moving in, I preached my inaugural sermon at St. James.
That February move-in day seems so long ago. It was a lifetime of growing up for my young family. There are so many experiences between then and now. When I think about all the people we encountered and with whom we shared moments, it makes be grateful for many blessings.
I appreciate the way that the Spirit has blessed our time together as a church. These years of journeying together have been filled with healing and growth. I thank God for the people and passion that have gathered and continue to come together at St. James. We have met many challenges and opportunities.
This is not to say that everything was great all the time. Such a statement would deny the tears, disappointments, and sad farewells that are a part of any relationship. Living in community that seeks to be genuine requires an honesty that acknowledges the sorrow as well as the joy. Together, we have needed (and thankfully received) the blessing of forgiveness from both God and each other.
As I look back, I appreciate the many talented leaders that I’ve had the chance to be with in ministry. This includes pastors, vicars, staff, councils, synodical colleagues, and volunteers. It also includes countless participants in bible studies, Faith Teams, worship, retreats, and youth gatherings. These relationships have been rich and I’m grateful that so many of them extend into this present moment.
One of the things that I’m proud of in my ministry at St. James Lutheran is the formation of a vision, values, and welcome statement. Each of these important directional items came out of hours of conversations and interactions after careful discernment, wondering where God was calling us as a community. These purpose statements continue to offer guidance as we look forward to the future that lies before us. In preparation for this year’s Council Retreat, I put together a video highlighting our vision, values, and welcome statement.
As I type this weekly Ministry Moment, I do so in the fourteenth year of ministry with you. As fun as it might be to celebrate years completed, I find myself more and more to be someone who yearns with hope for what God has in store just over the horizon. What might the Spirit be up to in our individual and collective lives as fourteen years of togetherness begins? If the past is any indication of what lies ahead, it will be an exciting journey!
Lord God, you call your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils and possibilities unknown….
As I have said, I look forward to waving to you on Sunday - whether we meet in the parking lot, sanctuary, or online.
In Christ’s Light,
Pastor Walt