From the Pastor’s Message:

In October of 1837, Danish theologian Søren Kierkegaard wrote, “Why I so much prefer autumn to spring is that in the autumn one looks at heaven—in the spring at the earth.” There is something about the beautiful changing leaves and the clearing branches of autumn that can indeed turn our eyes upward and remind us of our spiritual nature and our place in the cosmos. Yet in any season, it is easy to get lost in the daily stressors, work, and busyness of earthly life.

The parables of Jesus often use very earthy settings—weddings and vineyards, seeds and soil, profit and loss—to lift our eyes toward heaven. That is, in part, what the Kingdom of God is all about: seeing the ordinary things of this world through the extraordinary light of God’s love.

As our congregation prepares for our annual Oktoberfest at the end of the month, we will have plenty of earthly tasks to accomplish: planning, shopping, cooking, counting, arranging, and cleaning. But let us not lose sight of heaven as we do these things! For in our work together, we are answering a spiritual call—to feed and shelter our neighbors, to welcome others with Christian hospitality, to celebrate together in loving community, and to point towards Christ in all that we do.

May the work of our hands this month be an expression of the heavens.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Taylor