Was I ever surprised on Sunday, January 26. As far as I knew, this was going to be simply an annual congregational meeting. I had the agenda in front of me. But you all blew me away. Oh, my! I was so surprised when I saw this beautiful cake being wheeled out on a cart coming my way. I had no idea. Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping me celebrate both my birthday and my tenth anniversary as your pastor.
Martin Luther wrote, “If I am a minister of the Word, I preach, I comfort the saddened, I administer the sacraments” (Luther's Works). Although we all have our ups and downs, these past ten years have flown by as I have done this among you.
Throughout the years, I've been touched by your love and care. You have walked with me through two back surgeries and various other maladies. We have walked together in joy with the newly baptized.
Can any of us forget the trials of the COVID years? Everything changed so much during that time. Then, while that's in the rearview mirror, we hear more and more of the Bird Flu.
Also on Sunday, January 26, we heard Jesus reading from Isaiah, declaring that Isaiah's words were fulfilled in Jesus. The Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus to do all those mighty works. The Spirit of the Lord on Jesus is also the Spirit of the Lord on the church! In John 14:12, we have these words of Jesus, “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” Let us continue to pray and hope and trust together that this will be so for us.
Pastor Ivy
Pastor's Message
February 2025
Pastor Ivy Gauvin