July 2022 Newsletter

Hello all!

This summer the three Carver County Moravian Pastors started to meet together, once a week to reflect on the scriptures, to pray together, to encourage and support each other in ministry. It has been a blessing.

In Matthew 18:20, Jesus tells us that “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” There are three of us: Pastor Charlie, Pastor Rick and myself. Pastor Rick and I are the elders, Pastor Charlie is very young, wise old soul. As we sat in the shade of the trees that grace Lake Auburn Cemetery, I could feel Jesus there with us.

Our souls were heavy with the weight of what is happening in our nation. The divisions, the interpretation and reinterpretation of laws that are going to affect people’s lives in very disparate ways. There are stark differences in understanding what the Christian response, the Christ-like response is to these divisions over God’s Word and Jesus’s call for justice.

It is mind-numbing. Yet, there we were, not solving the nation’s woes, but trying….trying to think of ways to fix things--fixing our ministry on Jesus of Nazareth and feeling Jesus in our midst. Pastor Charlie shared with us his adaptation of the Liturgy of Grace. We all felt we needed it. Our nation needs it: the Grace of God.

I have never claimed to have all the answers. Nor does Pastor Charlie or Pastor Rick. I know, personally and pastorally, I am so grateful to have all of you, the members of our church to talk to and reason with and pray with and interpret the scripture alongside each other. Now, I add Pastor Charlie and Pastor Rick. Jesus is among us, in our midst.

There is good news and this is it: we are not alone and Jesus is standing with us. We will figure out together what that looks like moving forward.

Thanks be to God!