OUR SAVIOR’S SHARED JOURNEY

"We're All In This Together"

REJOICE!  RENEW!  REACH!

Matthew 18:

¹⁹Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

      This is your mission: “To know Christ and to have others know him.” This is what you have agreed together on earth about. God’s promise is clear: “I am among you!” This is who you are, this is who we are. In prayer, we come to God, open to the whispers and urgings of the Holy Spirit, open to God’s love and healing. We come, not with a pre-determined agenda that we expect God to meet, but instead with open hearts and minds to meet God. We come for a conversation of faith with the goal of sharing healing love.

      And God is here for that same purpose; that is the Divine promise.

      In response we rejoice. We sing and work and serve and love and the joy spreads and takes on new meanings with every turn. The joy renews us, from our core to our chores, from our face to our place. The joy becomes our reality and the world around us will see it, the newness will reach deeply into the world around us, vibrant with love and healing. “Working together” will re-emerge as core identity for the people of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and good things will get done. Already the community around us knows we can provide a safe and versatile space for many purposes. Maintaining that ministry is one of the things that being “good stewards” means. So our building needs some updates and that refreshment will reach out with a renewed welcome to the community we already serve and will beckon others as well. Good worship and great education and a warm welcome will continue and be nurtured. Support for enhanced staff will focus that nurture on the younger families who already come to us for Baptism and faith formation.

      One of my favorite comedians, Red Green, has a “tag line” he uses to humorously encourage his audiences to work together: “We’re all in this together; I’m pullin’ for ya!” I have often quoted that line, offering it as an ethic, a guideline, an encouragement for followers of Jesus to embrace. In Rejoice + Renew + Reach we have a delightful opportunity to make that happen, through your church, for years into the future.

I am on that journey with you!

Pastor Chris