Trust God’s timing: Embrace our pastoral journey

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Trusting God’s timing in our pastoral journey

Friends, I’m a bit of a skeptic. Well, maybe not really a skeptic… because I am generally optimistic, and trust in God’s presence. Skeptic is likely the wrong word. But I do like to take my time to discern and process things to make sure decisions are based on well-founded reasons and are good for me, my family, the community, and, in this case, my family at Community Lutheran. So it seemed a bit fast that we had a potential candidate so soon after I, along with the Council, determined that we needed to extend Pastor Karis’s call so that we had time to find a new pastor who fit our mission of love, acceptance for ALL, and an outward-focused congregation.

There is a deficiency in the number of ECLA pastors at the moment, and Pastor Karis is a hard act to follow. Her energy, enthusiasm, and love have touched us all. Her passion and vision have guided us to a place where we have grown in God’s love, opened our arms, and embraced each other and the community as a progressive, mission-oriented congregation. Where would we find another Pastor that would be as open and welcoming, and progressive enough to help us continue our growth? It was going to take some time to find a Pastor who was a good fit for us.

Yet God intervened and blessed us with an unexpected opportunity. We had the chance to bring Pastor Carla to us for a month of interaction, participation, and pastoral guidance; and it was quite a month. We kept her busy, and she engaged with us with deliberate love and respectful guidance. Yes, I could go on and on about her resume and accomplishments, blah de blah de blah. (There are many.) She sought out and listened to our team leaders, led us in beautiful services, and was there for any one of us who needed her. I found her to be very open, in alignment with who we are and who we want to be, and well-versed in ways and methods to help us further define our goals and establish a path forward in our walk with Christ. I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with her and Pastor Karis as we continue our journey of faith.

Deb Wittle

Council Vice President

Help students start strong with school supply donations

Can you believe that summer is more than halfway over? It’s hard to imagine, but the start of school is just around the corner! Once again this year, Community Lutheran Church will be collecting school supplies for the students at John Clayton Elementary School. Please see the list below for suggested items that are needed:

• Backpacks
• Notebooks
• Pencils (preferably number 2)
• Erasers
• Spiral Notebooks
• Crayons
• Rulers
• Colored Pencils
• Folders
• Any other item(s) you think an elementary school child can use

If you would like to purchase any of these items for the students at John Clayton Elementary, there is a box in the Narthex to collect donations. Any items donated will be taken to the Frankford Library by August 23.

Please contact Terri Windlan with any questions.

Thanks so much for your support of this important ministry.

Jesus: the Man, the Myth, and the Legend

The Monday Study Group, which meets at 10:30 a.m., studies the Bible; however, in the broadest possible sense and in a very non-traditional manner. Our approach is to study the writings of contemporary theologians and writers, as well as other Christian texts from the 1st through 4th centuries, to read the Bible with an expanded vision. Also, we know that each of us is on our own personal spiritual journey. Periodically, we review various spiritual practices that may help us on our own path of growth.

To make the point, I ask you how many of the names, places, events, writings, and theological concepts in the list below are familiar to you?

To varying degrees, all of these have been, or are currently, part of our study experience. There is a wealth of information and ideas out there to help you on your own personal spiritual journey. All are welcome! We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas as we continue in our discussions, studies, and prayers.

For info, contact Dave Bartges.

What’s Happening at Community