Simon Says"  

My Beloved Kinfolk in Christ,

As we turn our attention to the summer months ahead, we have been heartened by our return to in-person worship. It has provided us a much-needed boost to our morale and has given many of us a sense of possibility and hope. The pandemic has been an unprecedented disruption in our lives, but disruption is not always a bad thing. Having just celebrated Pentecost at the end of May, I think we can agree that the movements of God and the Holy Spirit are often disruptive to the comfort of people’s usual lives. From calling out to our biblical ancestors like Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph, to prophets like Jonah, Elijah, and Ezekiel, God and our Forebears have shown that we can do amazing things in the midst of life’s disruptions.

As I have mentioned in church a few times now, the big question before us is, “what’s next?” For our congregation, how can we maximize this moment to grow into our calling as followers of Christ? What are the things we feel passionately about? What has this disruption shown us about our community and what its needs are? Can we fill in the gaps and meet those needs? How can we be more welcoming to our neighbors?

These are not small questions, and like those who came before us, how we ultimately answer them will be at the heart of how we live out the Gospel. As a congregation with over 150 years of witness to the Good News in Christ, what new things are still possible for us to do and be in service to God? I look forward to finding out with all of you.

May we be the people God always intended us to be.

Peace and Blessings,  

Pastor Bryan