January 2013 Newsletter Article

We have no mission but to serve

in full obedience to our Lord;

to care for all, without reserve,

and spread his liberating word.

-          Fred Pratt Green, “The Church of Christ, in Every Age,” ELW 729

Our mission is to care for all and to spread God’s word. Leave it to a brilliant closing verse of a common hymn to remind me what we are about as a church. As we enter a new year, I am excited to refocus on this mission, to love and serve God and our neighbor by caring for all in need and by sharing the amazing, liberating story of God’s love for us in Jesus. What will 2013 bring for Lutheran Church of the Savior as we continue to live out this mission?

Honestly, I think we will face significant challenges this year. We just paid off our mortgage, which is wonderful, but will we be able to channel those resources and energy from paying for a building to building up a community of faith to live out our mission? So often people look for concrete (or perhaps in this case, wood) evidence that their efforts are building something physical and long-lasting, and finishing paying a mortgage can signal to some that their work is completed. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a stable building means a stable church.

Of course we know this not to be true; a church is a group of people, not a building. Our building is only a resource we use to further our mission of caring for others and sharing God’s word. It is a very important resource, a welcoming place to host our worship and activities, and a home base from which we can go forth in mission.

But our building is not our most important resource. Our most important resource is us, the people of Lutheran Church of the Savior, the ones who sing the hymns and volunteer our time and share our gifts with the community. I am immensely proud of the leadership and commitment that so many LCS members share, from council members and committee chairs to dedicated volunteers doing so much work I can’t even keep up with it all.

I find it beautiful, to be honest, that I cannot keep up with all the wonderful efforts this congregation puts forth in mission. I’m only the pastor, and while I have a significant role, this is your church. You are the body of Christ gathering on Sunday mornings to receive God’s presence in word and sacrament, in fellowship and prayer. And then, filled with the Spirit, you are the ones who go out and serve God and neighbor, volunteering with Loaves and Fishes and the Free Store, working on our Christmas bazaar and Family Fest and rummage sale and so many other events. You are the ones who change light bulbs and clean wax out of candle-lighters and keep the baptismal font filled with water as a sign of God’s promise.

You, Lutheran Church of the Savior, have done so much to make this congregation a sign of God’s presence in our community. Thank you for all these efforts. I know you will continue to work hard, to live out your faith in love and service to this congregation and to the wider community.

I do think 2013 will bring challenges, but also wonderful opportunities. We will have the opportunity to grow in caring for all God’s people through financial support and volunteering for our local missions. We can welcome new people into our community, drawing them into our mission and recognizing their gifts for love and service of God and neighbor. We will have the opportunity to share God’s word in new and public ways, from an expanded online presence to telling our friends and neighbors what following Jesus as a part of this community means to us. We have the opportunity to engage more deeply in worship and prayer, discerning God’s presence in every aspect of our lives. 

I am excited for the opportunities God will set forth for Lutheran Church of the Savior in 2013. As for the challenges we face, I always love a challenge. Again and again we follow Jesus from death to new life, from challenge to opportunity, from comfortable past to hopeful future. If we can remain focused on participating in God’s mission, this can be the best year in the history of Lutheran Church of the Savior. Thanks be to God.

Thanks,

Pastor Andrew