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St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church |
| From the Pastor |
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Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation. Psalm 111:1 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Grace to you and peace this day in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. November is upon us and the church year is rapidly coming to an end. And as the calendar winds down we are reminded this month of the many reasons for which we give God thanks. We are thankful for a safe and plentiful harvest. We are thankful for those in our faith community who have graced our lives and who have died in Christ this past year, who we will remember on All Saints weekend, November 4th and 5th. We are thankful for our veterans who have sacrificed so much for us to protect the freedoms we enjoy today, and who we will remember and honor on November 9th at a special program at the Randolph High School, as well as Veterans Day, November11th. We are thankful for God’s presence in our lives and for God’s providence, and will offer our thanks and praise at our community Thanksgiving service at First United Methodist Church on November 20th, as well as gathered around the table with family and friends on Thanksgiving Day, November 23rd. There is much to be thankful for! Personally speaking, I am thankful for each of you and your presence in my life. I continually thank God for the call to minister in Jesus’ name here in this place. As a response of faith, one way we can offer God our thanks and praise is to regularly gather together in community for worship on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, for it is here, in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation, in the words of the psalmist, that we pray together, give thanks together, and share each others joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams. It is here that God is at work, building us up and nourishing and strengthening our faith as we lift up one another, and as we support one another under the sign of the cross. My friends in Christ, as the season of Pentecost yields to the season of Advent, and we once again begin to turn our gaze to Bethlehem, I invite and encourage you to once again find your home in our community of faith. Advent is the season of hopeful expectation, patient waiting, and increased devotion as we embark on a pilgrimage looking east, and prepare in joyful anticipation for the celebration of the birth of Immanuel, God with us. I invite and encourage you to join in this pilgrimage with me. May God’s blessings be upon you this Thanksgiving, and may you always know God’s unending love. In Christ’s Peace, Pastor Fallon |
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Copyright 2006 St. John's Lutheran Church Randolph, Nebraska |