This Week from Mitch

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope and pray that you are well. I am sitting with a Bible and prayer book/hymnal that I keep in my office. Both were given to me 19 years ago at my ordination to the diaconate. The first services where I officially proclaimed the gospel, bid the confession, and served at the altar were Advent services. I remember during this time looking back on seminary with a mixture of gratefulness and relief. I also recall looking forward with expectation towards a life in ministry while also celebrating that our family of two was about to become a family of three. From this point on Advent would represent for me a season of preparation and prayer (as our faith tradition says) as well as a sense of adventure as Denise and I stood at the beginning of the unknown.

I am grateful for the journey I have had. Each church I have served has taught me something new. I am grateful for friends made, and for people who have touched my life. I am grateful for our family. It has been an amazing journey thus far, and I find myself as excited about the future as I was back then. I am truly grateful.

It is out of this gratitude that Denise and I will finish our pledge next Friday (payday!) and it is out of this gratitude that we will make an additional Christmas offering. We tithe and we give because we both feel like God has blessed us. Thus when we give, we give back to God, but we also give forward with expectation. We give because we feel like 8,000 pounds of food is both important and much more than weight, it is a family gathering around a table and having enough to eat. We give forward because we believe that our Community House should be a place of safety and comfort to people whose recovery from addiction may have left them feeling adrift. We give because we know that beautiful worship strengthens people and strong people make strong communities. We give back and we give forward.

Why do you give? What are you thankful for? What are you looking forward to? Our giving tree in the back of the church is empty. Every family and name that asked us for support has been taken care of! In the bulletin this week you will find a gift tag. I invite you to scan the QR code, make a gift, and then write on the tag what you are grateful for or what you are looking forward to and hang it on the tree. Let's fill it back up again with our thanks!

If you are able, let's share a blessing.

In Christ,

Mitch