Sunday, November 22, 2020
Dear St. Luke Community,
One of my favorite things each week is sitting down to write this weekly email to all of you. It’s not lost on me that this is my last. And Sunday will be my last Sunday as your pastor. I plan on spending the sermon expressing deep thanks for all of you, your gifts, your wisdom, laughter and inspiration. For the past five plus years you’ve been an extended family and welcomed me into your lives; both your challenges and celebrations.
And Sunday after Sunday we came together to worship God: to celebrate, cry, pray, praise, lament, sing and laugh. If I keep writing, I will end up writing the entire sermon on this page, and because I’d rather say it than have you read it, I suppose I’ll stop now.
Our scripture reading will come from The Book of Ephesians which was written to “God’s holy people in Ephesus” (Ephesians 1:1, NIV). New Testament scholar N.T. Wright states that “it offers a breathtaking view of the entire landscape.” It doesn’t correct any behavior or instruct, but celebrates the goodness of the people which makes it perfect for this last Sunday together. If I do nothing else, I will be praising God for the goodness of all of you – the good people of St. Luke Presbyterian who were good and generous before I got there and will continue to be so long after.
This is something to be deeply grateful for. So with Thanksgiving upon us, let us, together, give thanks to God for every gift of our lives and life itself.
All thanks be to God.
See you Sunday,
Nicole