Pastor's Notes

       I have mentioned in sermons, newsletters, and in conversations that it feels like we are post-COVID but we still don’t have an idea what that means for us as a society and as a church specifically. Much has changed in the last three years, but in a way, that leads to some opportunity for creativity and discernment to how we want to move forward. During Lent thisyear we will be focusing on the fact that we live in an UNFINISHED world.     I’m sure you can think of different ways in which your own personal life where things feel unfinished. For me, I always feel like the cleaning and chores are never finished. They maybe finished for a while, but I can guarantee by the next day (if not sooner) they will become dirty or messy again. When it comes to grand scale questions about life and faith, we perpetually livein an unfinished time between the resurrection of Jesus and when he comes again. We Lutherans love paradoxes - especially the now and not yet of faith.     So throughout Lent we will be focusing on the theme of UNFINISHED not only during our mid-week Wednesday worship services, but also on Sundays as well. We will have ourtraditional lectionary readings, but the focus will be on the ways that the characters in the story are unfinished. We will discover God’s call in the not yet. And then on Wednesdays we willwork through the four chapters of Jonah, reflecting on how God meets us in those liminal, Lent-like spaces when we find ourselves (like Jonah) somewhere between trust and doubt,courage and fear, anger and empathy.     But we are not left alone in this space between no longer and not yet. We are not left alone to navigate this unfinished life by ourselves. God is here - present-tense, each and everyday - calling to us, accompanying us, renewing and recreating us - over and over again.     One way that we can lean into and honor this space between no longer and not yet is to engage in spiritual practices that both invite us to be attentive to God’s present-tense call andnourish God’s relationship with us. This Lent, you are invited into the spiritual practice VOCARE, a practice designed to help you discover and embrace various ways that God calls you in everyday life so that even amid the not yet, you can more intentionally live life on purpose for the common good.     Beginning on Ash Wednesday with a reminder of our shared, called, baptismal life and culminating on Easter Sunday with the call to practice resurrection, each week will add a newguiding word of the VOCARE practice and practical ways to engage VOCARE in your personal life, your circle of relationships, and your congregation. You won’t want to miss the chance tohonor the space between no longer and not yet!     Join us during Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday worship on February 22nd. Each Wednesday there will be worship at 1:00pm and 7:00pm - soup suppers will begin at 6:00pm onMarch 1st. Please pay attention to the schedule included for which location will be the host for worship each week as it will alternate again this year. I’m so looking forward to this Lentenjourney in 2023; I so hope you’re able to make it a scheduled part of your week as well!    
Pastor Mary Fielprmaryfiel@gmail.com (507) 525-3909 cell