Along with Advent songs of hope and lighting candles in the dark, I found another encouraging connection to this time while sharing with our Tuesday Bible Study this week. We were talking about how we have entered the “Year C” of the Lectionary cycle, and that means that from now until Christ the King Sunday (Nov 2022), we will mostly be reading from the Gospel of Luke in Sunday worship services. And one theme the book of Luke intends to lift up is the work of the Holy Spirit. You’ll notice the activity of the Spirit through speaking to, and blessing, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, John the Baptist, and others! It will be an Advent theme. Make Way! Come, Holy Spirit! And as much as we might be used to celebrating great faith in the life of people in the church, or in the Bible, the way Luke tells it: these are ordinary people. Sure, they are devout, and they are listening to God. And they know the covenant and they have high hopes (at least, their hopes are re-ignited in this spiritual, transcending moment). But they are folks following God — saints and sinners at the same time. And the light of God’s love, in Luke, is shining in dusty, forgotten places. And it’s shining in dusty, forgotten people too. Where we least expect it. Luke’s gospel is a spirit-centered gospel. Remember, he also writes the book of Acts? That’s the story of the disciples gathered and (in Acts chapter 2) what seems to be tongues of fire comes down and rests on each of them. Those disciples, too, were ordinary people. So Luke is telling a story of salvation and it is a generous out-pouring of God’s love. That is what God’s Spirit does—finds us, blesses us, beyond our measuring. In Advent we pray, “Stir up our hearts, O God, to prepare a pathway for your Christ.” And guess what? The Holy Spirit has the stir stick. Advent prayers are like Pentecost prayers and they’re all Christian prayers! This whole, faithful walk is an embodied prayer that God’s Spirit would speak and move among us. And Luke’s gospel tells it clear. So let’s listen. Like the shepherds in fields—keeping watch over their flocks by night—,God give us ears to hear! And God bless your advent. + Pastor Shaun

Friends in Christ, Peace to you as we journey into winter, the end of the calendar year, and the holidays (“Holy-Days!”). We are together, we are weathering the storms, we are grateful––in the face of hard-ship and need––that God is always giving enough, through the shared work of one another. It feels more possible, as tough as it was last year, to bring our focus back to practices of thanksgiving and gratitude in our lived ministry together. And so we will! This is the time of year to consider God’s gifts and also to covenant to bringing time/talent/treasures to share with the body of Christ at Faith Lutheran. Our stewardship team invites you to a celebratory Gratitude potluck after worship on Sunday, November 21st! And there, we’ll also be invited to participate in a thank offering. Thank offering?? —> This practice follows the heart of ancient Hebrew rituals of bringing of-fering, separate from sacrifices meant to address the problem of guilt and sin. Thank-offerings were, and are, a means of taking concrete action expressing thanks to God for what has been given and provided. And this is the right time to call each other to faithful stewardship of all WE have been given. Between now and the 21st, we will invite you to prayer and partnership in ways that work for you, without guilt and shame, but with open and willing hearts! This month, we remember a common prayer at our offertory, where we give thanks for “What God has first given us—our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of God’s gracious love.” And we invite all members to consider how God might be calling us to respond to God’s generosity. One practical heart-practice is the invitation below: The Stewardship Team invites you to fill out the attached form in a way that fits for you. It’s an indication of support. And it’s not the only possible response to God! Still, it is an important worshipful movement in our lives — pondering and offering first-fruits of what we have been given. And the way we’re doing it is as personal meditation. We will gather these offered slips together on Sunday, Nov. 21st and burn them during a brief rite of liturgy on the church patio. The information you put on the slips will not be seen by any-body; not the pastor, nor the financial committee, nor the stewardship committee. These are personal pledges, and we trust the Holy Spirit to support and guide and move us forward! This is a practice for your covenant of offering with God. Pastor’s note: Our money and our time are sensitive, and our hearts are prone to holding them tight. If you need prayer or care or discernment, we are surely here for you! Let’s sup-port each other on the way that leads to joy and freedom—giving with a cheerful heart! Truly, I am excited to journey with you in life and ministry together. Our stewardship team is excited for the journey too. We hope you’ll prayerfully consider covenanting with Faith Lutheran Church. And all our lives are invited to the blessing! Happy Thanksgiving! Blessed anticipation of Advent! Peace to you!, +Pastor Shaun

Greetings all! I hope this letter finds you well, entering the turn to fall with health and hope. We are holding our folks in prayer and continuing to serve in all the ways we know how, so thank you for being church together in these (still) strange times. Fall is here! And to me, this season has the feeling of beginnings. In part it’s because we turn some plans to thinking about the upcoming celebration of Reformation again (Sunday Oct 31st, wear red!). And also because of all the change we see in the natural world or feel in our culture. Wallace Stegner put it this way: “That old September feeling, left over from school days, of summer passing, vacation nearly done, obligations gathering, books and football in the air . .. Another fall, another turned page: there was something of jubilee in that annual autumnal beginning, as if last year’s mistakes had been wiped clean by summer.” -Wallace Stegner, Angle of Repose Reformation. Being made new. An “annual autumnal beginning.” We are there. Friends, I pray you know it. I pray you feel it! Some changes in decorations have gone up around the church – fall flower colors as you enter the main doors, and our decorative board for fall quoting the hymn Come to Us, Creative Spirit, saying: “Word from God eternal springing … ” It’s a Reformation hymn and a blessing to strive in discipleship in our time and place! And a call to trust the God that is always re-forming us, re-fashioning us in living and faith. So in this unique season I invite you to a class to explore the Hebrew Scriptures’ idea of “Beginnings.” 🙂 Sundays after worship, around 10:45am, we’ll meet to ponder ancient stories from the book of Genesis. (info on page 5). It is good to sense beginnings and to ask again what it means to follow in our way, at this time to­gether. In our hopes, through this time of change, may we once again be drawn to God’s creative Spirit. Yes, the Word of God springs eternal, even now! + Pastor Shaun

One thing the life of the church teaches me, and puts before me weekly (even daily) is that we are not alone. In our living: times of birth, joys and struggles, and at our death, I believe we are not alone. We are with God. We are with each other in this life. And we are also with the promise and faith of faithful servants passed. With this in mind, I am encouraged in devotional readings that pray ancient prayers and songs. And I am blessed to participate in celebrations of life—like August’s gathering to give thanks for Madge Cooney. I believe and celebrate that this faith we practice is always received and given, growing and changing and thriving in all times and places. Faith doesn’t happen alone. And we are not alone. This has come to fruition for me in many ways as a Lutheran, including: • I was happy to be ordained as a minister on July 25, as a celebration of the feast day of the Apostle James. • I approach All Saint’s Day (November) with reverence and a thankful, connected heart. Ok, so what? Well, I looked at “saint’s days” on the calendar for September I saw many important, inspiring folks whose celebrations might help tell the story that we are not alone in faith! We celebrate some saints, as Lutherans, and they have a day to remember on the calendar; and the list of those for September have inspired me to tell their stories—the lifting up of Peter Claver, John Chrysostom, Hildegard of Bingen, Dag Hammarskjöld, the Apostle Matthew, and more. So, look for these sto-ries this September, in worship and in our communications. And let us lift up that the themes of “Saint’s Days” are momentum for our lives as the church today. When we proclaim on Sundays that we “join their unending hymn,” it’s because we are singing the song—singing a new song—with our voices, to our world, in our way, and with God’s Spirit that never leaves us alone. Maybe this will ring true to you, helping you feel connected. Or maybe it’s another spiritual practice for you—that’s ok too! But come and share and grow and let’s ask God to move us to tell our sto-ries too. Together in grace, + Pastor Shaun

“With humble thanks and so much joy, I’m grateful to have gotten here with all of you! As Luther writes in his explanation of the third article of the creed, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in my Lord Jesus Christ or come to him, but the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, just as Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church.” And, that’s also how I’m here today! The journey unfolds; we walk the path before us; we look for signs and we keep trusting and changing. I have been welcomed into this church with love, and challenge, and with the call of the Holy Spirit, and I respond and say ‘Yes!’ and keep dreaming and traveling this pilgrim way. Thank you for bearing that Spirit in our world and to my life! Thank you to Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. You all heard this call; and you’ve helped it reverberate further now! You have encouraged my ministry to youth and families. You have befriended and challenged me. You have opened me up to all things “Lutheran!” You have whole-heartedly supported my seminary journey… As the launching point of this part of my faith journey and vocation, I cannot say enough. Thank you to Lord of Mercy Lutheran Church, and the Internship Committee and Pastor Sarah. You all, too, have been generous and imaginative and worked hard to offer this seminarian another place to grow, learn and thrive. You are faithful and welcoming and have formed and en-couraged me. And, now, great thanks to Faith Lutheran Church, my pastorate. You all are inviting and supportive and we are already partners in ministry to the Truckee Meadows. I look forward to all our ministry together. I have the best friends. From Texas evangelicals and ex-vangelicals; to Colorado co-conspirators; to California miners (of philosophy and theology); to those practicing the Way of Jesus with me in the Sierra Nevada, or the way of Emerson and Thoreau in the Truckee River Watershed––I love you and you bless my life! To seminary friends from Luther and from PLTS, now spread far and wide––you have surprised me with the good news of the gospel in and out of class! My parents, Pat and Donna, have listened and encouraged and shared wisdom and sup-ported me and my family, and through yet another graduate degree! I couldn’t have embarked on this journey without you—thank you Thank you to Maeve and Wynter, who inspire me and bring me deep joy and strength, light in the darkness. The pastors of the Sierra Pacific Synod and all those attending camps at Mt. Cross have formed and enlightened me, chiefly the leaders of SPS Youth Committee. I’ve wanted to be like them when I grew up! And I thought I maybe could, through the endless nudging, encouragement, grace and love from Reno Lutheran friends and mentors. Join me in giving thanks to God for the faithful Spirit that keeps calling us forward to Peace and All Good!”

Dear Faith Friends,
It’s been a year! No, seriously, it has been a whole year for us with me serving as your pastor. And this past month I’ve been blessed to reflect on my call that began July 1, 2020 and my ordination that was July 25, 2020. And now this weekend is my installation—a ritual we’ve been waiting to engage in together, when things could be more “in-person.” It’s been a year!
For me, this year has flown by and some things feel like the are just revving up after our “different” kind of programming and worship for most of 2020-2021. And, honestly, I’m still full of celebration and anticipation. Yet because it has already been a year, I’m full of new and deeper thankfulness too. I am thankful God calls us together and equips us for good work, blessing, and mutual building-up! I feel it, I see it, and I trust it.
In that spirit of thankfulness, and in a call back to my ordination last year, I thought I’d share/repeat with you some words of thankfulness I wrote for that occasion, and that has been more encouragement to me on this year anniversary! (This is an abridged version). 🙂
Thanks be to God for calling us and sending us together. And cheers after one year!
+ Pastor Shaun