To The Family of Faith at St. Andrew’s,
It has been a wonderful opportunity to join you in our Lenten and Easter worship seasons. My heart was FULL during the Easter and I felt so close to God. I pray you did also! Thank you for coming and bringing your family, for singing joyfully, for sharing all that God has provided. My spirit has been on a bit of a trip lately. In the midst of Lent, the season of introspection, preparation and prayer we happened to hit my 15th anniversary of Ordination. From the spiritual low to the spiritual high as Bishop Paul came to share our joy. Through the painful depths of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to the soaring heights of Easter Sunday.
This is the spiritual path right? The rollercoaster of life. I am so thankful that none of us have to trod this weird journey on our own. My friends in Christ we journey together so that when some are in the darkest places there are others to help, to remind that this is not a permanent place. We also walk together during the high points to see together all that God has in mind for us. Now the Easter service bulletins are in the recycle bin, we get on with the work Jesus has placed before us.
We will soon welcome some new members to our church community. Our group consists of a full cross section of the population. A young couple with a new born to retirees, young families, life long Lutherans and other new to the Lutheran vocabulary.
Additionally, we will honor our commitments made to those who have been baptized in our church over the last three years. Please take note of that previous sentence. When someone is baptized in our church, we make promises to God. We promise to pray for them and support them. It has not sat well with my soul that we don’t seem to make much fuss about this. We are going to change that, beginning with our new “Baptism Sunday” on April 21. Please help me in honor our promises made to these wonderful people who began their church journey in our sanctuary. When Jesus was baptized, he saw the heavens “cleaved” apart. The thought of something being ripped apart means that there is no way it will ever be the same. Our baptism means that we are forever changed. Our identity gets changed and we are forever made a child of God.
I pray God’s strong presence with you when you are having a mountain-top moment, when you are down in the dumps and when you are traveling the mundane sections of this life. Know that you are never alone. Celebrate with the joyful, mourn with the sad and journey with all. God bless you people of St. Andrew’s you are doing the work of our creator and it is my great joy to walk with you!
Pastor Dave