Monthly Message | October

“And serve each other according to the gift each person has received …” 1 Peter 4:10 (Common English Bible)

Grace and peace to you friends.

October is a month for the church when we start to look ahead and plan for the end of the year and even into the next year. I don’t think we are as bad as Hallmark Channel’s showing Christmas movies or stores putting out Christmas decorations already, but we do start planning for things such as Advent and Christmas, and the new year that includes a budget for the year and discerning how to use the gifts God has given each of us in serving God, the church, and our communities and even the world.

Our Sharing Your Gifts form — formerly Let Us Walk Together — comes out this month. A copy is on pages 11-12 of this newsletter and a digital form will be emailed out. It invites you to think about the different gifts that God has given each of us. Many of you know that God did not bless me with the gift of singing, so I don’t think I can help the choir much! But I believe God has blessed me with gifts such as some skills in communication, a love of visiting people, an interest in making connections, and a passion for helping people in need. St. Mark has outlets for each of those gifts and more. I also may have gifts that I don’t recognize in myself but someone else may see in me. So if you are having trouble recognizing gifts you have, ask someone or ask me, or if you know someone who has a gift for something, simply tell them that you think they have this gift they may want to share!

After a summer where St. Mark celebrated its 200th anniversary as a Lutheran congregation, we may be thinking what comes next for us. Where is God guiding and leading us to as a church community? What are possibilities for St. Mark? The Sharing Your Gifts form is one way to discern that for each of us — to see and recognize what God has given us, and how that plays a part in the life of the church. There are places to write down ideas you have that may not be listed — please share any ideas you have. Another way is to have conversations. I sent an email out in September, around the time of the fourth anniversary of my ordination and being called to St. Mark, inviting anyone to message me or meet with me about the church as we move forward and what God is placing on your hearts with the gifts or questions you have. That invitation is always open. I ask you to take time to pray and think about your gifts or what is something you’d like to try, and fill out Sharing Your Gifts and/or message me.

From that verse from 1 Peter, we each have received gifts from God. Most importantly, we all have received the gift of God’s mercy and love shown in Jesus Christ. God doesn’t want us to worry about doing things just so we can be right with God — Jesus has done that for us. God’s love is a steadfast and freeing love — freeing us to not think about what boxes we need to check so God will love us more. God can’t love us any more than God already does. You are a beloved child of God! Repeat that to yourself each and every day. And tell someone who may need to hear that about themselves. That is the best gift we can share!

Pastor David