Brothers and Sisters:
The memories and excitement of another new year are
beginning to wane.
We have been looking forward to the arrival of
2021 since April or May of 2020.
We have been given promises of hope with the
distribution of a vaccine for Covid-19.
Even with hope dangled in the news, it will
still be some time until we can finally claim “normal.”
As a result, I had and needed to take a moment
to look back at 2020 to find the things and moments that brought me great joy.
Joy that carried me through the year and has
given the true hope that stays with me now as we begin to navigate 2021.
One of the things that I has brought me great joy has
been worshiping with you both in person, but also in our Zoom room.
I love sharing God’s word with you in worship
each week. I find great joy in reading the texts appointed each week and
spending time thinking about how they apply to God’s people at All Saints and in
the communities in which we interact, be it at school, work, or play.
Often times I find that I have much more to say than is really possible in the
midst of a worship service. A typical week finds me trying to decide which idea
of many I want to go with and how to best express that idea. I find myself
wanting to go in two directions and knowing I can only go in one. So I make
choices, knowing that the Holy Spirit takes that choice and uses it in ways I
cannot begin to imagine.
You might notice in the next few weeks we are getting
readings from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians—a fantastic letter and one
of my favorites. As
February and Valentine’s Day approaches, it is
easy to wander down the path of 1 Corinthians 13. Many of you are very familiar
with the 13th
chapter of 1st
Corinthians; it is often referred to as the “love chapter.”
You know the verse I’m talking about—”And
now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is
love.”
We love to use it at weddings, talking about how great
love is. Don’t get me wrong, love is fantastic and we need to strive to love one
another—but did you know that the people of Corinth, the people Paul is writing
to, didn’t get along? At all?!
If they did, it was begrudgingly at best. Paul
goes to Corinth to show the people who are constantly arguing with each other
that there is a better way to be in community together:
to love one another, to celebrate each other’s
gifts, not to argue about who is right and who is wrong, not to point fingers at
each other for their faults, but to love one another as God has loved us. We
don’t deserve God’s love. We have done nothing to earn God’s love and there is
nothing we can do. As broken sinful people we fall short of God’s grace.
Thankfully, it is up to God and God has claimed us and loves us just as we are.
“And now faith, hope, and love abide, these
three; and the greatest of these is love.”
Now if
you will permit me a brief moment on a side note.
I have been so very grateful and LOVED during my time here at ASLC.
Unfortunately, because of the timing for submitting articles for the next
month, I have not had the moment to thank you.
THANK YOU for the sisters and brothers you are in my life.
For the gift and love you have been in my nephew Jesse’s life.
For the outpouring of cards, notes and gifts that you have bestowed on us
both. THANK YOU again for the
greatest gift of love – the love of Christ that you are in our lives.
So, I want to take this moment now, to let you all know how much I love
each and every one of you with the love of Christ.
But as pastor, it has brought me great joy to see and know first-hand
what a gift you are in our community.
Even through years like 2020 – you remain a loving, welcoming community
of Christ and share that light and love in some of the dark places in our
community.
I am
filled with hope at the anticipation of all the things that are possible and
dare, I say, yet to happen at All Saints as we get back to “normal.”
Look out 2021! May you
continue to be a blessing to others as God has first blessed you.
Shalom,
Pr.
Paul <><
p.s. –
Did you know? Ash
Wednesday is on February 17, and we will have Wednesday services all throughout
Lent. We don’t know yet if we will
be worshiping together with our Sister Congregations yet – but we will have
wonderful Worship none the less.
Please check the newsletter and check the calendar for further details.
p.s.s.
– Did you know that Luther said. . . . ??? Did
you know Luther had an Epiphany after reading the Bible?
It became his 95 Theses!