Dear People of Peace,

I am so much looking forward to our time together, to getting to know you and the ministry of Peace Lutheran and the community in which you live, to the adventures you have planned for this sabbatical time.  The old proverb says that “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”, and something like this dramatic transition is waiting for us in the Sundays of March. We will begin on March 2^nd with the last scene of the Epiphany season, the disciples’ glimpse of Jesus in the glorious light of the Transfiguration. We’ll be saying “Bon voyage” to Pastor Erik and his family and celebrating with them as they set off on the sabbatical journey that you all have been planning and preparing for during the last year. And we’ll be introducing the pastoral team for the duration of the sabbatical which includes faces very familiar to you, Pastors David Wold and Eldon Olson, and one not so familiar face, Pastor Martha Myers, which is to say, me. I will be your preacher for 3 Sundays each month from March through July, though not always the same Sundays. 

Then, on Ash Wednesday, March 5^th, we will make the dramatic transition from the season of Epiphany to the season of Lent. I will be with you for some of these Wednesdays so I can get to know you better, though not necessarily in a leadership role.  Our Old Testament readings for the Sundays of Lent are some of the most foundational stories: the garden of Eden, the call of Abraham, water from the rock in the wilderness, the call of King David and the dry bones of Ezekiel.  After the story of the temptation from Matthew on the first Sunday, our gospel readings are all major stories from John’s gospel, running from Nicodemus who comes to Jesus by night in chapter 3 through the raising of Lazarus in chapter 11.  I look forward to exploring these with you in the weeks ahead.

Let me share just a little bit about myself.  I am now in my 35^th year of pastoral ministry.  I began with 3 years as an associate pastor in Marion Iowa.  We moved to Washington when my husband began 31 years as a professor of accounting at Pacific Lutheran University and I was called as pastor of Renton Lutheran church. During my 23 years there Renton grew and changed dramatically, presenting new challenges and opportunities for ministry which resulted in the redevelopment of our entire site into the Compass Veterans Center, Renton and the café/music venue/worshiping community that is Luther’s Table.

In the years since I’ve served as interim or supply pastor in 6 congregations.  After 23 years learning the needs and gifts of one congregation in depth, it has been fascinating to get to know so many different congregations, their personalities and ministry challenges.  I love to preach so much that I attend the pastors’ text study here in Renton even when I am not preaching. But when I’m not preparing a sermon for you, I will be planting vegetables, tending our apple and plum trees, taking walks with my newly retired husband, Gerry, singing in the choir at Nativity, Renton, trying to get back to playing my long neglected folk harp, volunteering at Luther’s Table and enjoying our two grown daughters, Rachel and Lucy.

Looking forward to getting to know you better and to sharing this sabbatical journey.

Martha Myers, Sabbatical Word and Sacrament Pastor