Message from the Pastor

Do you have a favorite story? Maybe it’s a book you’ve read so many times that the pages are worn and the spine is coming apart. Maybe it’s a movie you’ve watched enough times that you can recite nearly every line right along with the characters. Or maybe it’s a personal story; something that happened to you that you retell at parties and in gatherings of friends. These stories become a part of us. The more we tell them, the more they shape us. We may find ourselves in a situation where a quote from the book or movie comes easily to mind. We may find ourselves using the stories as a reference point when we encounter something new. Stories shape our lives. But if we would tell the story well, we must also know the story well. 

Beginning on September 8, we’re going to be following a new lectionary, or selection of readings in worship. The Narrative Lectionary was developed in 2010 by professors at Luther Seminary as part of an effort to increase Biblical literacy—that is, for us to know better the story of our faith. From September through December, we’ll hear stories that come from the Old Testament, walking us through the narrative of God’s saving action in the lives of God’s people. From Christmas through Easter, we’ll hear the stories of Jesus’ life and ministry, and how God’s love is made known through Christ. From Easter to Pentecost, we’ll follow the ways that the early church carried on the mission of sharing God’s love in the gospel of Jesus with the world. Each week, we’ll hear a part of the story, and we’ll learn throughout the year how these stories connect and form the whole narrative of our faith.

I’m excited for us to walk together through the story of scripture. The more we immerse ourselves in these stories of how God has acted in the past, the better we will be able to see God acting in our present. The more we understand how all these stories weave together, the more we will be able to see ourselves in the tapestry of faith. As we learn and grow together, may these stories shape our lives, individually and as a congregation. And may we find that the old chorus rings true in our ears and in our hearts: “I love to tell the story, ‘twill be my theme in glory, to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.”

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Will Starkweather