A Message from Pastor Paul
Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how."
I have been considering, as of late, the wisdom in the seed. It is both a wonder and a mystery, both guided by God. In the seed are the wonders of life, of planting and growth, and of harvest. In the seed are the dual mysteries of fulfillment and promise for the future.
I have been thinking about this as we all come now to a time of leave-taking in the pastoral ministry at Peerless and Scobey Lutheran. I think of the wonder and mystery of the seeds sown in the ministry . . . which, "we know not how," . . . but yet they are, and they sprout and grow. I think of the seeds planted when I accepted the call as pastor here in this wild, northeastern place, and of the seeds of leave-taking sown too, at that time, because harvest and new plantings must follow one another as God intended them to.
I reflect with joy and gratitude on the wonder of the seeds of ministry we have planted together with the spirit's help ... the faith of many people both in and outside our congregations that has been sustained and increased, . . . the faith that has been nurtured in the young people who have grown up in our congregations, who now bring their children to church, . . . the seeds of faith being sown in these youth's lives . . .
I think as well now on the mystery of this time of leave-taking and the seeds of promise that are yet to mature that would tell us that God yet has plans for all of us and that the ministry, the church, is bigger than any one of us. That even though this time may be bittersweet, God the master-planter is yet at work, and even if we may "know not how," the church . . . His church will endure.
Christ's Peace!
Pastor Paul
I have been considering, as of late, the wisdom in the seed. It is both a wonder and a mystery, both guided by God. In the seed are the wonders of life, of planting and growth, and of harvest. In the seed are the dual mysteries of fulfillment and promise for the future.
I have been thinking about this as we all come now to a time of leave-taking in the pastoral ministry at Peerless and Scobey Lutheran. I think of the wonder and mystery of the seeds sown in the ministry . . . which, "we know not how," . . . but yet they are, and they sprout and grow. I think of the seeds planted when I accepted the call as pastor here in this wild, northeastern place, and of the seeds of leave-taking sown too, at that time, because harvest and new plantings must follow one another as God intended them to.
I reflect with joy and gratitude on the wonder of the seeds of ministry we have planted together with the spirit's help ... the faith of many people both in and outside our congregations that has been sustained and increased, . . . the faith that has been nurtured in the young people who have grown up in our congregations, who now bring their children to church, . . . the seeds of faith being sown in these youth's lives . . .
I think as well now on the mystery of this time of leave-taking and the seeds of promise that are yet to mature that would tell us that God yet has plans for all of us and that the ministry, the church, is bigger than any one of us. That even though this time may be bittersweet, God the master-planter is yet at work, and even if we may "know not how," the church . . . His church will endure.
Christ's Peace!
Pastor Paul