Monthly Message | July

Grace and peace to you friends.

Let us imagine that St. Mark has its own time machine. Exciting! We enter it and take a trip back to 1825. The United States, which celebrates its 249th birthday this July 4, is just 49 years old as a country. The American Civil War is still 36 years from starting.

We meet some the people of the new St. Mark Lutheran Church, which has just been established. Yes, I know the rules of time travel usually prohibit interactions with people, but we are on a mission here. After exchanging some brief pleasantries and explaining our presence, the people of 1825 ask us about St. Mark in the year 2025. What do you tell them?

I think my response would be to first thank the people for establishing St. Mark and being a foundation for the church. I would tell them that St. Mark has remained a vibrant church community that continues to “break bread” together and share and live out the Good News of Jesus with people from across the Nittany Valley and beyond. I would say that there have been some challenges, as there always are, but the community continues to be one that has a deep love for and faith in Jesus and looks to be guided by Holy Spirit. We don’t always do this correctly or perfectly, but we are led by Jesus’s grace and love for us as we continue to walk with people — whether members of St. Mark or not — in this life. I would say more and add some details, but, again, what would you say? Let me know.

Now it’s time to get back into the time machine, and let us go to the year 2030 — just five years into our future. As you are careful not to come across yourself and see how you personally are doing, the question here is What do you hope to find out about when it comes to St. Mark?

Similar to my response from back in 1825, I hope we are continuing to break bread, sharing and living out the Good News of Jesus, and walking with everyone in this life. It is difficult to write about specifics since we have no idea what will be happening in our lives, the region, or the world tomorrow, let alone five or 200 years from now! But I think with a big vision of simply being this beacon for the region — one that shines God’s light in how we interact with each other and the people we meet, in how we have a joy and passion for serving God and neighbor, in how we have a love for God and each other ­— the specifics will be worked out.

I don’t know how the people in 1825 envisioned the church and what it would become in 200 years. I like to believe that they are smiling and loving what this community is and has become in the year 2025. As we celebrate this special bicentennial anniversary this month, we can share our memories and joys of being a part of this community and continuing it, with Holy Spirit continuing to lead us. And we can embrace the present and look forward to the future in sharing the dreams and visions and hopes that Holy Spirit has placed on each of our hearts. Together, we continue to be the Body of Christ in this part of the world and in this time in history.

Go in peace. Christ is with you! Share what God has done for you!

Pastor David