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From the pastor's
desk
July 2010
Every once
in awhile, you are offered an opportunity that is hard to pass up.
Recently that happened to me.
For some
time, I have been making plans to hike with my son, Camden, at a Boy
Scout camp in New Mexico called Philmont. We will do 65 miles with
elevations from 6,500 to 11,600 feet above sea level. I have been
planning for this trip for three years; when the Scouts finally put
together the plans, it was going to require three Sundays away in a row
even though it was only 14 days. It starts on a Sunday and ends on a
Sunday. I haven’t been away more that two Sundays at a time in all my
years here at Christ the Lord. I finally decided that it was important
for my son and me, so I made the plans.
But that is
not the real story. I received a call from my wife today and she told me
if I would pay for a plane ticket to Hawaii. I could go with her on a
business trip. What a deal, except it involved another Sunday. Granted,
I get seven Sundays off a year after 20 years of service, and I have
been here 26. It scared me. How would people feel?
Immediately
I spoke to my staff and the Church Council executive members seeking
their input. Everyone was encouraging and had some wonderful ideas.
Pastor Julie agreed to preach two of the Sundays and give up teaching
two sessions of her youth Sunday school class in the summer. Another
pastor will fill in for me. A hymn fest and celebration will be held on
July 4.
I then had
some things to coordinate on the home front. This was only three weeks
but four Sundays. I still worried about the time away.
While I was
at the Synod Assembly a pastor asked me when I was going to take a
sabbatical. I have been asked this question over the years. Pastors who
have been at parishes for long periods of time will sometimes take off
an extended period of time (three months) for study and reflection and a
mix of rest and relaxation. I said that I really never felt a need to
take an extended time away because I practiced self-care throughout my
career. My congregation has never begrudged me the time I needed during
difficult times and regular getaways.
Three weeks
will seem forever and four Sundays will seem like an eternity. By the
time you read this it will almost be over. I hope you will understand
that these were two opportunities that I could not dare pass up.
One of the
biggest reasons that I made the decision was that I knew this is a
strong lay led congregation. It always has been. When I was at Synod
Assembly some 20 people set out 200 junipers in 2 ½ hours. The mission
team has been working on projects to raise money for Honduras. Volunteer
workers are helping run vacation Bible school. These are but three
examples of ministry that take place without me.
My dream as
a pastor is becoming more real everyday. The church IS God’s people.
I want to
thank you for three weeks and four Sundays that I will have with my wife
and my son. These experiences will carry me a long way. The older I am
getting I realize more and more how precious my family are to me. I also
realize how wonderful my church family is to me the longer I work here.
When I sit and ponder, I realize what a great experience God has given
us in the family of God.
Gratefully,
Pastor Mitchell
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Ask
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asked:
Why during the Apostle's Creed, do we say
" I believe in the Holy Catholic Church", when we are Lutheran?
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The
question was asked:
How do you witness to someone when they say it
is hard to believe in something that they cannot feel, see or touch?
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the Pastors' response
The question was asked:
One of the most amazing stories
from the Bible is Paul's participation in the persecution of the
Christians and God's intervention and Paul's complete reversal of attitude
to the Christians. My question is at what time in a person’s life does
good or evil become dominant? Is it preordained for some people to create
evil all their life? My reasoning is “Thank you God for all your grace,
mercy and love.”
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