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Dear Friends, What a joy it is to connect with one another in this very moment in our story of grace. I have always steered clear from digging deeper into the story of Jonah. I stumble over the question "did a large fish really snarf up Jonah as he lived inside it for days?" Our lectionary, the passages from the Bible selected for us to hear this week, invites us to read from none other than the Hebrew story of Jonah. It is exactly the story we need to wrestle with today. The Book of Jonah is about looking inside ourselves and our neighbors at the definition of what it means to have a national image and/or set of values. It calls us to discern what it means to be Christians in a time such as this. Christian theologian, Dr. David Lose (an ELCA pastor), invites us to acknowledge our national crisis as step one. Then we boldly take on the hard work to have confidence that there are solutions to every crisis but that each of us are to personally commit to and respond (not react) with compassion and kindness. I would go a step farther and connect the dots with Jonah to our moment right now. I believe God is calling us, not because we want to take on the hard work of transformation, but because the mission of God invites as well as demands each to join in a God-size message of hope. We are transformed inside so that together, we have the strength to profess to the world that all of creation is loved and forgiven, now and for all times. During the recent inauguration of our president, I was inspired to hear what I believe is at the core of our understanding of our relationship with God and with one another. Speakers invited each of us to listen to one another’s personal stories as well share our own with a sense of humility and mutuality. It is in the listening, learning, and growing that we are transformed as individuals and transformed as a nation, just like Jonah and the people of Nineveh. God knew Jonah’s story and God knew the story of the people of Nineveh. God encouraged and nudged Jonah to pause and acknowledge his fear and heartache in both the story of the fish and in the story of the tree. Jonah’s story is God’s story of grace for all people. What is on your mind, in your story, or part of the here and now that makes you want to run or hide, strike back, or give up? What is stirring your heart to be closer to God and closer to others? Jonah didn’t want to be transformed inside nor did he want to share that message with others. God saw that Jonah was exactly the person who not only could be transformed but would stand up and step into God’s story of grace for all of God’s people. It begins with the gift in the here and now that you and I confess that we have turned our back away from God. "We have sinned by thought, word, and deed by what we have done and what we have left undone. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves" (ELW Confession, page 95 ). God responds with a forever grace - you are forgiven. What has you distracted, overwhelmed, or simply stuck and can’t move forward? God invited Jonah to pray. God invited the people of Nineveh to pray. To spend time with God in the quiet is an opportunity to open our hearts to prayer and reflection. We listen and are still so that we can respond and be God’s hands, feet, and voice to a broken world. This is indeed the days that the Lord has made. How will you and I live, rejoice, and do the challenge work to speak justice and compassion, to act with mercy for all people throughout the hours of each day of life? Overwhelmed? Or are you and I, the church, our homes, our communities, or are nation on the edge of inspiration because we are ready? I invite you to begin with prayer. I invite you to step up and step into worship. I invite us to imagine, create, grow, and serve one another with God-size acts of love. Oh, Lord, we are humbly ready for your holy nudge to engage, encourage, and grow as we love, live, and share Christ in this day and the next. Amen Blessings to you all, Pastor Katie

What another memorable week we’ve witnessed! It began in the midst of wrestling with the continued cost of COVID-19, even while we celebrated the hopeful news that vaccines are beginning to be distributed. It continued with witnessing the sheer beauty of frost-covered trees glistening in the sunlight, while resuming a return to “school” in whatever form that may take for your children. Wednesday brought another disturbing and “unprecedented” incident in our public life. The assault on the Capitol has since drawn the response of a host of pundits; I suspect that you are not eager to hear yet another. This seems to be the kind of event that calls for a faith response, for quietism is a very distinct response in itself. I have been guilty of that as often as anything else. Both Jesus and Luther are explicit in voicing a need to respect the place of and need for good government. Likewise, our Church’s ethical stances have repeatedly echoed the Scriptures in the need to speak out against injustice, even as we live out a different standard – one which honors the dignity and role not only of those called to public service, but of every neighbor of every kind, and dares speak truth to power when it is abused. I share the fatigue of colleagues who know that voicing a sharp rebuke from a perspective of faith risks it being said wrongly, heard wrongly, or used wrongly and inviting an avalanche of angry response. That is a risk I must take, for the sake of all that sustains and enables the health of our public life. There is no vaccine against apathy, vitriol, or scapegoating, let alone blatant falsehood. I don’t know all the answers and I have plenty to still learn. As we put forth a collective effort to “restore” community life in the wake of COVID-19, I pray for a focused restoration of civic order in our public life, respectful debate, humble truth, and open dialog. It is not just a call for acceptance or tolerance of those with whom we may vehemently disagree, but real humility and a renewal of commitment to listen openly to the honest concerns and experience of all our neighbors (especially those who are most easily overlooked, as Jesus so clearly witnessed) as well as the courage to address injustice when it arises. I conclude with a prayer shared with us by Synod Bishop Amy Current on Thursday: Gracious God, the news of yesterday, acts of violence, racism, loss of life, idolatry of power, along with the continued and palpable divisiveness in our country, rising COVID -19 cases and deaths, and all that leaves aching, we bring to you in prayer. We are walking through the valley of the shadow of death. In the depths of pain and anger, we gather before you, O God, our rock and our refuge. You are our only comfort. You are our only hope. Faithful God, surround us with your everlasting arms. Hear our cries of despair, heed our calls for justice, and do not let us lose hope, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, we pray. Amen. Pastor Tim

Sunday's scriptures will focus on Simeon and Anna, two elders of the Jewish community in Jerusalem. Simeon had been promised he would not see death until he had seen the Messiah come. His words "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace ..." have been become one of the ancient songs of the church. In many traditions, this is the response sung after receiving communion. About a year ago, I wrote a setting of these words sung as though I were a Jewish man. Composers can do that when words move them. Anna, we are told, was an elderly widow who devoted her life to prayer and churchwork, much like many of our older members. They model for us how to live our lives in sync with God. They proclaim as loudly as their voices are able the good news of Emanuel, God with us. Imagine being that young couple, Mary and Joseph, and you are listening to the elders of the community praising God because of your child. No wonder "Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." It is almost too much to assimilate. God was doing something new. The prophet Isaiah told us in his message in chapter 43, "Behold, I am doing a new thing ..." Here in Luke 2, God is doing a new thing. He is living and dwelling among us. We are reminded again in Revelation 21 "Behold, I make all thing new." So whether we are in Genesis, Isaiah, Revelation, or entering A.D. 2021, God is at work making all things new. With Simeon, we can point to the "light to lighten all nations." With Anna, we can tell others that God is at work redeeming Jerusalem (a crossroad for the nations and a metaphor for the whole creation). Our old may dream dreams and our young may see visions (paraphrasing Joel and Acts), but we all have the task of proclaiming the God with us to our brothers and sisters in and out of the faith. May 2021 be the year of the Lord's favor, a jubilee to the Lord. Richard

Wishing you a Merry Christmas! I hope and pray that you and your loved ones have been able to truly celebrate the spirit of this season and to sense the presence of Christ in whatever ways you can! After so much planning and preparation, we anticipated sharing Christmas Eve with you in the parking lot, safely singing carols in our cars, and circling around the light of Christ, passing the flame of our faith in a symbolic symbol of our calling. Sadly, Mother Nature had other plans and prevented us from doing so due to the bitter cold and wind. We pray, however, that you were able to join us online for a memorable Christmas Eve at home, sharing our virtual community of faith, and encouraging one another at a distance! Thanks so much for being a part! The candles, icons, and banners will go away for now, but we’ll still be lighting up the neighborhood with extra strands that point to the hope that is ours in Christ. Come drive through the church lot and savor all that we can still celebrate in the days ahead! Meanwhile, please recall a couple of brief announcements: If you haven’t yet followed through on your commitment to making ministry happen in 2021 by sharing your Faith Promise form, please do so either online or via the mailbox prior to year’s end. We are 75% of the way toward our goal, but the Visioning Council will be meeting to finalize our budget proposal in just a few short days. We would appreciate all of the insight, plans, and feedback we can gather! Thanks in advance! Gifts intended for 2020 need to arrive at the church office by Thursday noon. If you need it recorded in 2020, do not depend on the mail service. Stop by mornings 8:30 to 12:30. We’re delighted to share two unique gifts with you in worship this Sunday: First, we’ll once again savor the incredible arrangements and harmonies of the Nordic Choir from Luther College and the Minneapolis-based National Lutheran Choir. Their voices have been a source of such encouragement in a chapter when we can’t easily sing together! Second, we’re blessed to be able to welcome the insights of Pastor Adam Hamilton, who has offered to share the Word with us and with churches around the country this Sunday. Pastor Hamilton will share his sermon from Kansas City, centered around how “incarnation” isn’t just about something that happened 2000 years ago, but still today. We thank him for the opportunity to focus on other aspects of our ministry this week! Our worship will continue on demand through our website and YouTube and will be livestreamed on Facebook at 9:00 a.m. Sunday. Hope that you can be present with us this weekend in whatever way you can! Pastor Tim

Gospel of Luke 1:26-38 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. The passage may seem familiar. But for a moment, pause and take up the invitation to be part of Mary’s story. Her role in the story is the very essence of the Christmas story. It is all about Jesus. This young, teenage girl is the conduit by which Jesus, the focus of the story, enters the world. Her faith in God is radical, vibrant, and fully committed as she is the first disciple of Jesus Christ. It is not the part that Mary, you, or me play in the story; it is God acting in, with, through, and for us. I’m messing around here a bit, but what if the passage sounded more like this: (PK’s version) So, in the middle of the day, after weeks of wearing a mask, staying away from friends, trying to keep the kids from going outside, and helping them to do homework while I’m keeping my job – or missing my grandchildren and friends, feeling overwhelmed with loneliness, and trying to make sense out of technology, and simply tired of having to adapt, to recreate myself…I’m exhausted and yet, I trust in the promise of God. I am truly thankful and I’m holding on to the faith I have in God who promises to dwell with me…so I rest and, in my rest, I hear God speak my name "(put your name here)". An angel appears. Gabe says to me – “Greetings, (put your name here), faithful one! Don’t be afraid. God is with you always. Now, the Lord has a plan to share the Good News with people who are longing to experience the joy of being loved by God and forgiven forever. The Lord has a plan to put you in the midst of a Jesus mission to tell others how Jesus came into the world to save us from our mess and restore a relationship with God and with one another. The Lord our God has a plan to bring peace to all the world. (Put your name here), God has picked you. Are you in?” In shock, we say, “Wait, how can this be? Who am I to be asked to do something so amazing?” Gabe speaks again and says, “You’ve got this. After all, the Holy Spirit is with you! The Savior is for you! And our Creator has picked you to share the Good News! Hear this message and put it on your mirror when you wake up and encounter the day and put this message of hope in your heart. All things are possible with God ." (Luke 1:37) Our response…breathe in and breathe out – shoulders up and shoulders down… “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Hold that thought for a moment… As we close the 2020 year, we collectively have shared a common story about a world-wide encounter with a virus and soon to be vaccine. The story literally took our breath away. Our collective discussion on safety measures has been on-going and exhausting as well as diligent and thought-provoking. I, personally, refuse to kick 2020 out the door. Too many amazing things also happened in 2020, such as the hope of vaccines! Yes, some really hard and still harder yet challenges have hit you, me, and us. But can we say that 2020 was more challenging than the year that a young teenager was pregnant with the Son of God? I’m not putting us up against this story, but inviting us to be in the story…with our own voice, our own joys, sorrows, and challenges. And hear the most amazing message of all… The angel says to us, "You’ve got this…after all, all things are possible with God." What will 2021 have in store for us? We have been invited into the story of all times, to open our arms, and to welcome a Mary-size response to have faith in God that is radical, vibrant, and fully committed as disciples of Jesus Christ. People are longing to know. Will we be ready not to brand things as “re” anything? No, not go back, but instead boldly look ahead on how we, as disciples of Christ, welcome all God’s children, grow together, and serve with joyful hearts in the name of the one who loves us first and always, Jesus Christ. Pastor Katie

Dear Friends, It is week 2 of our season of ADVENT! Watch worship this week on Facebook Premier or on our website launched on Sunday mornings. Don’t miss Children’s Sunday School at 10:00 with the zoom in the newsletter as well as Adult Sunday School (zoom link in the newsletter). There is a lot more information on the website, in our newsletter, and highlighted below! Stay connected, invite your friends, share our worship with others. Together, let us prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus. This week in worship we will talk about the story of a woman named, Hannah. Maybe we should start by asking the question, who is this – Hannah? Hannah was the wife of Elkanah. We learn in 1 Samuel that he was from a respected family who worshipped at Shiloh. In verse 5, we learn that he loved his wife, Hannah. But Elkanah had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah had already provided Elkanah with male heirs which was expected of a woman at that time and in that culture. Elkanah and Hannah prayed, sacrificed, and prayed again and again for decades. Alas, they did not have a child. While they prayed, Peninnah tormented Hannah and Hannah cried to the Lord. She told her husband how she has poured out her soul before the Lord (vs 15). She shared with him how she had great anxiety and stress all the time (vs 16) yet she remained faithful. She surrendered her greatest fear, a fear that was attached to the status of her worth in her context of that time, she was afraid being “less than enough.” For decades she had channeled her fear and worry into faith that God was with her. In verse 20 we learned that Hannah indeed gave birth to a child, a male child, named Samuel, whose name means, “God heard.” The meaning of Hannah’s story isn’t about asking God for something and eventually getting it. That is called a wish list and a manipulation prayer. Our story isn’t about motherhood, although Hannah proved to be a devoted mother. What Hannah did was, in her time, practice her faith boldly and reverently with a hope that God heard her prayers. In her thanksgiving, she did one more thing: she dedicated her son to the temple to be raised as a priest. This son, Samuel, would someday anoint the first king of Israel, Saul. He would one day, tell Saul that he was no longer favored in God’s eye and a new king, Kind David would take his place. Hannah’s story is crucial to the family story of Jesus. Why? Hannah witnessed to us with a humble heart, a dedicated heart, an aching heart, a faithfulness in God. Hannah prepared her heart, devoted her prayers and, without a doubt, took on a burden that would one day be a blessing for the all the tribes of Israel. Without Hannah, there is no Samuel. Without Samuel, there is no anointing of a King David. Without King David, there is no line of Judah from which the infant child, Jesus, is born. Thank you, Hannah, for your story is part of our story and of God’s story of grace for all people. What is heavy on your heart today? Together we pray, Lord have mercy. What is your fear today? Together we pray, Lord have mercy. What is your challenge today? Together we pray, Lord have mercy. What joy is in your heart today? Together we say, Lord we give you thanks! Into your hands we give all of our prayers as we pray in your name Jesus Christ, Amen. Blessings to you always, Pastor Katie

Sunday is the end of the church year. It is Christ the King Sunday, that Sunday of the year when we remember that the little baby we welcomed last December, the man whom we saw crucified and resurrected in April, is indeed the Lord of All Creation. Our gospel for Sunday will conclude a church year where the primary texts for our discussions have been from Matthew. Familiarly, it is known as the parable of the sheep and the goats. This piece of Scripture (Matthew 25:31-46) is the Gospel I’ve selected for my funeral. In it is the question I ask myself every day: Am I a sheep or a goat? Sheep are obedient followers. Goats are more wily and will go anywhere to get what they want. Sheer cliffs? No problem. Can’t be done? No problem; I’ll do it. Jesus gives a measuring stick to gauge the journey. He’s already told us that measure: “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and soul and mind. And love your neighbors as yourself. (Matthew 22: 37-39)” Today, we hear it presented in another way. I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Sometimes I hit to mark. More often, I miss it completely. I am reminded of James’ admonition: “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only. (James 1:22)” When the love of God rules in my heart, soul, and mind, I have the capacity to love my neighbors by feeding them physically and spiritually. I have the capacity to make room for them in my life to meet other physical and spiritual needs. Like Paul in Romans 7:19, “The good I would do, I do not. The evil I do not want to do, I keep doing.” Those are the very sins for which Jesus died to atone. So, I keep the measuring stick before me. I may judge myself unworthy. You may judge me unworthy. But in the end, only God through the love of Jesus Christ will judge me to be a sheep or a goat. While my deeds show forth the faith I have, it is only that faith upon which I can cling to be deemed a sheep, a member of God’s flock. Baa, said the sheep and the goat. God knows. Richard in the office P.S. Thank you, Pastor Katie, for allowing me to write this week.

Tonight Only!!!! Advent Celebration Night November 18 – at 6:30 p.m. on ZOOM (see link below) We have blended our plans and our hopes into one big night for everyone. Fun for all ages and household sizes! Confirmation Students – join on Zoom and play a special BINGO (with prizes!) Holy Trinity Households – we will make our Advent Door Swag – together! ** If you still want your door swag kit – we have 10 left! ** If you still want your children’s Advent kit (pre-K thru Club 56) - we have 15 left. ** If you want a Holy Trinity mask – we have 3 left! ** Drop off your 2021 Faith Promise (Pledge) – we are here! High School – you have a special outdoor project with Deb! Mask up! Wear a coat! Zoom Link for 11/18 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5015045503

As we reach the capstone of our fall series on “Abundance” this week, we turn to “Abundant Thanks” for Commitment Sunday. When I slow down enough to reflect as I ought, I realize that we have much for which to give God thanks. I feel for those who are furloughed or out of work. I feel for those who are wrestling with very real health challenges. I feel for those who are feeling “cooped up” after so many months of Covid-19. Yet I am aware of how many of us still have work, health, shelter, and family and how we are called to walk alongside one another in such times of grieving. I certainly would never wish to minimize any of the above challenges. They are quite real in our midst, as several of our Temple Talk witnesses have made evident this fall. Yet I continue to stand in awe at the abundant sharing of prayers, money, and care that are evident among us, even amid so many experiencing various challenges and the stubborn hope that lies behind their sharing. In other words, I am personally grateful for much in this season. That certainly includes you! I hope that you might perhaps feel the same way about your church. Yep, “church” looks and feels different during a pandemic. Sure, there is much that we miss and wish could be different. Yet I have seen and celebrated example after example of creativity, courage, flexibility, and continued investment as your witness remains bright. You’d be amazed to know all that we are still doing together despite COVID-19. As much as my perspective and perception can be challenging, your light continues to shine through. We’ll share some of where that is happening in our worship this weekend. Some of that courage and flexibility will be evident again this Sunday. While we are consciously eliminating or minimizing all indoor ministries and gatherings, we are still: Gathering Faith Promise forms through a “drive by” drop-in in the parking lot Distributing study Bibles to SS youth Sharing Sunday School through Zoom at 10:00 a.m. Distributing creative kits that our families can use at home to highlight the coming Advent and Christmas seasons in the Family Experience scheduled for Wednesday evening at 6:30. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5015045503 (all still outdoors from 8:30-12:00) Inviting adults and youth to help us light outdoor trees for the Christmas season (10:30-12:00) and at other times by appointment Working to communicate more regularly through our “Community Connection” ministry that your household may be invited to share; and Last, but not least, hoping that many of you will participate in our Zoom “Finding Hope through the Holidays” event from 6:30-8:00 p.m. In a season that is so focused on joy, family, and children, many of us are struggling to share even one of those elements this year. You are not alone! Come share, learn, and listen, as we use the gift of our faith and our faith community to honor and express what is difficult to share in such a season. Don’t be shy – we really want you to take part. If you need assistance with Zoom or the needed technology in general, please let us know prior to the event and we will do our best to help you overcome the obstacles. Our pre-recorded worship will still be available on-demand via the website on Sunday morning as well as a Facebook Live broadcast of the pre-recorded service at 9:00 a.m. Pastor Tim

I’m writing on a day when the number of new Covid-19 cases in the Corridor are higher than any single day except Aug. 24th, when the number of TV ads, texts, and phone calls related to the coming election seem never-ending, and when it’s not exactly hard to feel anxious! It seems to me that people of faith need to take both their civic responsibility and their role in keeping their neighbor safe seriously. We are not a private church, but a public one. As such, it’s imperative that each of us make a conscious effort to use our voice and vote to help determine the values and direction of our country and world as a whole. In Luther’s explanation of the commandments not to kill, steal, or bear false witness, he emphasized the need to refrain from such temptations and the need to help our neighbor keep or protect their lives, basic life needs, and reputations. While issues are often complex, those mandates seem to be quite clear, no matter where you find yourself on the social or political spectrum. In other words, “Vote” if you haven’t already! As we strive to make an engaging indoor livestream worship experience a reality at Holy Trinity and to help nearly 30 young people grow in their faith through our ministry of confirmation, I find myself with a whole new respect for hospital staff as they face swelling hospitalizations and for teachers as they attempt to share and encourage thinking in these days of pandemic. I am grateful for and concerned for health care workers who, in many cases, have been striving to stay ahead of the curve, even while facing short-term furloughs and financial pressures. If I get tired and impatient about wearing a mask, I can only imagine how they feel about doing so – long before and after a pandemic. I see and hear amazing stories of teachers working hard over the summer to make virtual learning meaningful and effective. I see them scrambling to learn far more new tools, learning platforms, and portals than I’ve had to learn. I am humbled by an awareness of how many have had to change gears completely as COVID numbers and classroom populations evolve. Many find themselves required to serve not just in their own classrooms, but in several classrooms. Many are doing so with significant risks to their own families and key relationships. We continue our focus on “Abundance” and cautiously hope to launch our first indoor live-streamed worship service this Sunday at 9:00 a.m. The service will include less than a dozen staff, musicians, and tech volunteers on site, We will practice distancing and utilizing masks and extra ventilation to keep the environment as safe as possible. We’ve been able to overcome a host of technical obstacles in preparation for this event, but are still “getting our land legs” when it comes to practicing tech team communication and roles. Bear with us as we encounter lessons along the way; we’ll use each experience to improve the livestream in coming weeks. Volunteers for some roles are still needed. Shoot me a note if you’d like to serve as a video or audio assistant! Our pre-recorded worship will still be available on-demand via the website on Sunday morning. Hope that you can be present with us this weekend in whatever way you can! Pastor Tim

Sisters and brothers in Christ, This weekend, we kick off our fall stewardship emphasis with Pastor Dirk Stadtlander bringing us the Good News of Jesus Christ. Pastor Dirk is the pastor for the synod ministry at the Anamosa State Prison. If you listen to our Gospel from John 8:31-36 (the appointed reading for Reformation Sunday), you will hear the words “If the Son has set you free, you will be free indeed.” Those last words are the name of the prison ministry our congregation helps support: FreeIndeed. As we look at Reformation Sunday, it is wholly right and proper that we look to prison ministry as a metaphor for our own lives. We confess in one of our confessions that we are “captive to sin and cannot free ourselves.” The men at Anamosa State Prison (https://seiasynod.org/ministries/prisonministry/) and other men and women incarcerated at prisons scattered throughout Iowa are captive to sins as well as the state and cannot free themselves. We, like the inmates, are trying to reform our lives that we may walk in God’s kingdom and walk rightly with our brothers and sisters in society. Thanks be to God that Jesus came to set us free from the bonds of death. Thanks be to God that our Church and congregations in other denominations believe in the importance of bringing God’s healing grace to those in prison. As Isaiah said, “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness … to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” (Isaiah 42:6-7). Pastor Dirk helps us do just that by proclaiming the Good News of reformation in what would be a dark place spiritually for many. As you contemplate how God is reforming your lives into faithful service in his creation, pray that God will continue to stir the hearts and minds of men and women incarcerated and imprisoned as they reform their lives to rejoin us in society.

This Sunday, as we gather virtually for worshipping online, we are going to re-introduce an alternative celebration of Holy Communion. When we gather to share the sacrament, we recall the “Words of Institution” – the words that tell the story of its origin in four different Scripture accounts. We believe that God has the power to transcend our “safe distancing” and still forgive sins and grant salvation. This Sunday and  over coming weeks, we will mostly be sharing of the Sacrament of Holy Communion within the home and encourage you to share it in a dignified manner. If you live alone, know that Christ is still present with you. If you live with others, invite them to partake with you. If you do not wish to receive Communion in this way and would rather wait until we are gathered physically again, we understand. We trust Christ has promised to present with us through the Word, through worship, and the virtual community we find at this time. For sharing the sacrament, you will need the words below, bread (or another grain-based food), and wine (or grape juice). If you don’t have these items, anything you do have available will suffice. What to say (The Words of Institution): The presiding pastor will consecrate the elements, reminding us via video that: “In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.’ Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.   Do this for the remembrance of me.” Taking the bread, you then say to yourself (if alone) or the person you are Communing: The body of Christ, given for you. Then, taking the wine or juice, say to the person you are Communing: The blood of Christ, shed for you. After a pause in the recorded service, the presiding pastor will say the blessing: “The body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bless you and keep you always in God’s grace.” Remember that one need not partake of both the bread and wine – either one on its own constitutes participation in sharing these gifts of God! We have books and video resources in our library that help explain Holy Communion to young children if you wish to expand their grasp and understanding. Feel free to reach out to your pastors if you’d like to use them! Your brother in Christ, Pastor Tim