Friends in Faith, it’s been a year for me serving with you as called pastor of Faith Lutheran Church. And what a most unexpected year it has been!
I know we’ve commented on it (and lived it) in so many various ways … but it’s still remarkable. I thank God for our protection and the ways life is still finding a way through sickness, disease, setbacks and “new paradigms.” And I’m thankful we have each other.
This week, in contemplative prayer, we said prayers for healing and prayers for a blessing on the summer. These are the prayers I’m carrying with me in thinking of you each week too. I pray that you feel the warmth of summer that it might lift your soul. I pray you feel the freedom and joy of some kind of recreation and relaxation. (Or as my daughters have just caught on to saying: Chillaxing). With bright and long days, I pray you feel brightness and light in your life, even prompting you to new devotions or habits of prayer or attention.
I have new habits brewing in our family. We are soon to adopt a dog. I’ve told my daughters that this day was approaching — and I’ve said that for almost a year. Originally, we were waiting to see where my call for serving as a pastor would happen. And when it happened here/now, well it was the middle of covid and with so many questions and concerns, I just didn’t have the room in life to welcome another creature to join our family dynamic. But the wait is over; it will happen this month. And so we’re thinking intentionally of our life, our house, our yard.
And this process of being more mindful, paying attention, thinking of what fosters good life—this can all be good to consider in our spiritual lives too. Maybe this summer is a good time try a new habit or make room for a new practice. Maybe there is a change staring us right in the face that would open new windows or doors (or doggie-doors) to have our hearts find a center with God rather than on all the other stuff that’s always contending for our attention. Cleaning, preparing, conversing, purging—whatever it takes!
May this summer and this next calendar year open up ways for us to engage, support, and restore one another in faith, hope, and love. And it’s all welcome: strength, doubt, joy, sorrow, dogs and cats too, all singing their song.
As the Sunday school proverb has proclaimed: “all God’s creatures sing in the choir!”
+Pr Shaun
I know we’ve commented on it (and lived it) in so many various ways … but it’s still remarkable. I thank God for our protection and the ways life is still finding a way through sickness, disease, setbacks and “new paradigms.” And I’m thankful we have each other.
This week, in contemplative prayer, we said prayers for healing and prayers for a blessing on the summer. These are the prayers I’m carrying with me in thinking of you each week too. I pray that you feel the warmth of summer that it might lift your soul. I pray you feel the freedom and joy of some kind of recreation and relaxation. (Or as my daughters have just caught on to saying: Chillaxing). With bright and long days, I pray you feel brightness and light in your life, even prompting you to new devotions or habits of prayer or attention.
I have new habits brewing in our family. We are soon to adopt a dog. I’ve told my daughters that this day was approaching — and I’ve said that for almost a year. Originally, we were waiting to see where my call for serving as a pastor would happen. And when it happened here/now, well it was the middle of covid and with so many questions and concerns, I just didn’t have the room in life to welcome another creature to join our family dynamic. But the wait is over; it will happen this month. And so we’re thinking intentionally of our life, our house, our yard.
And this process of being more mindful, paying attention, thinking of what fosters good life—this can all be good to consider in our spiritual lives too. Maybe this summer is a good time try a new habit or make room for a new practice. Maybe there is a change staring us right in the face that would open new windows or doors (or doggie-doors) to have our hearts find a center with God rather than on all the other stuff that’s always contending for our attention. Cleaning, preparing, conversing, purging—whatever it takes!
May this summer and this next calendar year open up ways for us to engage, support, and restore one another in faith, hope, and love. And it’s all welcome: strength, doubt, joy, sorrow, dogs and cats too, all singing their song.
As the Sunday school proverb has proclaimed: “all God’s creatures sing in the choir!”
+Pr Shaun