by Pastor Paul
Over the past couple of months we've been doing some hard work here at Faith Lutheran Church, hard work, yet some of the most rewarding work we'll ever do. We've talked about intergenerational ministry and what it means to serve the ministry needs of all persons, birth to grave. We've talked about what it means to be relevant to our surrounding community and how we can reach out through the gifts that God has blessed us with. We've spoken at length about job descriptions and the way that fulfilling our staff commitment will free the entire staff to live into our understanding of God's mission for this place, but perhaps the one thing we haven't shared enough is the idea of legacy.
Indulge this quick story and I think you'll get the idea of where we are going as a congregation. A young man heard the news of his grandmother's death and was deeply saddened. As he and his family sifted through the material "stuff" of her life, someone came across her Bible and asked the young man if he wanted his grandmother's book. He grabbed it enthusiastically and remarked, "This is more than just a book!" Later that evening as he sat on the end of his bed he recalled fondly the times from his childhood when his grandmother would read to him from this very book, this Bible, and she would share stories of her faith with him. Now, as he sat with its pages gently seated in his own hands, he could see the love and the legacy of her faith in the underlining of scripture, the notes and questions in the margins, the small pieces of paper which had written on them his name and the names of her other grandchildren along with short prayers, pieces of paper enfolded in the pages of the Bible with love and a trust that God hears prayers. Now he held in his hands more than a Bible with its well-loosed binding and worn pages, more than simply the words, underlinings, and pieces of paper, he held in his hands the legacy of his grandmother's faith.
It's not too early for us to think about what our faith legacy will be. Our hopes and dreams for ministry at Faith Lutheran Church look something like the Bible in this story. We are about passing on the faith, about empowering the next generation, every generation, to live lives of faith always asking the important question, "How can I share this faith with others, with other generations, here at my church and out in the world?" Will you walk with us in this journey? Will you be a part of this new and exciting vision for ministry? Let's travel together, carrying our Bibles with us, underlining, asking questions, tucking our prayers in the pages of God's Word and discovering new ways of being the church to all people so that one day when our children and grandchildren remember being a part of Faith Lutheran Church, when they pick up our Bibles, they will recall fondly the times when the people of their church took time to read to them, teach them, and walk with them.