“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us…run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat the right hand of the throne of God.”

– Hebrews 12:1-2

Beloved of God,

Recognize any of these names—Gladys Peterson, Neale Nelson, Larry Carlson, Doris Cory, Carl Hjortsvang, Luther Anderson?  All these people played leading roles in the first years of our congregation’s unfolding life and mission.  70+ years after the fact, many of them have joined the Saints in glory, but this congregation they helped to found remains a vibrant, living community of faith thanks to the contributions each of them made as part of the founding generation.

As we mark All Saints Sunday this month, we call to mind all the dear ones through the generations—those we know and those known only to God—who have helped to give shape to our lives of faith.  November 2015 is the 71st anniversary month of Peace’s founding.  That means that our 75th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary is a mere four years away.  In the coming months, we’ll begin the process of thinking together about how we want to prepare together for that 75th celebration.  I, for one, am looking forward to seeing where our vision takes us!  I hope you are too.

November is one of the pivot months in the church year.  Beginning with All Saints, our recognition of sisters and brothers who have finished their life journey reminds us that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.  Later, on the final Sunday of the Pentecost Season, we welcome new people into our fellowship—this time two young ones through the sacrament of Baptism.  Thanksgiving Day follows closely after, reminding us that gratitude is the only fitting response to the God “from whom all blessings flow.”  Finally, as November ends, a new Advent season begins, reminding us how God is present in all the seasons of our lives, coming among us in Jesus to make all things new.

For all these reasons, and many more, November is a fitting month for talking about our stewardship of what God has given us.   I hope you’ll make a special effort to be in worship these first three weeks of November as we celebrate the SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY here at Peace through the themes of LOVE, GIVING, and PROMISE.  Something that Parker Palmer wrote about the nature of ABUNDANCE left a deep impression on me recently and I want to share it with you.

“Abundance does not happen automatically. It is created when we have the sense to choose community, to come together to celebrate and share our common store. Whether the scarce resource is money or love or power or words, the true law of life is that we generate more of whatever seems scarce by trusting its supply and passing it around. Authentic abundance does not lie in secured stockpiles of food or cash or influence or affection but in belonging to a community where we can give those goods to others who need them—and receive them from others when we are in need.” – Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak

God has richly blessed this community of which we are part. The Spirit of Community lives at Peace, and is still unfolding.  In a world that sees fear and mayhem around every corner, we proclaim and embody an alternative vision.  The God of grace and generosity abides with us, and because this is true, we can sing:

“O God of blessings all praise to you! Your love surround us our whole life through. You are the freedom of those oppressed, you are the comfort of all distress. Come now, O holy and welcome guest: Soli Deo Gloria!” [1]

Pastor Erik

[1] Text by Marty Haugen, Soli Deo Gloria (To God alone be the glory), from hymn number 878 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.