Indext, 2011 Event Schedule, Welcome, our church, Our Mission, Newsletter, Upcoming Events, Youth Group, ELW, Prayers., Contact Information
From the Pastor's desk......
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Dear friends,
A joke from The Reader‟s Digest "All in a
Day‟s Work": "I work at a department store where every night at closing time one
of our customer service representatives reminds shoppers over the public-address
system to finish their shopping. One evening, a woman who had recently worked at
a Kmart opened the announcement by saying, "Attention Kmart shoppers..." Quickly
realizing her mistake, she tap-danced her way out of trouble by adding, "You are
in the wrong store." So often we have too many things, too many details on our
minds and it can feel a little bit like we are in the wrong place at the wrong
time. My encouragement this May, as winter fades and spring slowly makes its way
here, as the rains come to wash away dirt and debris, as the days get slowly
warmer, is to take this time, this Easter season, to try to replenish and renew.
To take time for yourself doing something you love, something new you‟ve always
wanted to try, take up something long forgotten. "Remember the Sabbath day and
keep it holy" is a commandment that we are forgetting. God, in creating the
universe out of goodness and love, commanded us to take a day off, to relax, and
to focus on important stuff like God and family and friendships. We all know
that life can get crazy sometimes, it can be difficult, and so I am challengin
g myself and you to
take the time to notice the signs of life around you. It‟s hardest to do when we
don‟t feel like it, or are too sad, or are too busy. But give yourself a "small
sabbath". That is,
try to stop, notice, and reflect on at least one sign of life per day: whether it is a crocus poking through the soil, or a child bouncing through a puddle, or birdsong waking you up in the morning even when you think it is way too early to be woken up! It will do our hearts and our souls good if we take the time to notice and reflect on life in its simplest and most complex forms. Easter and its season in the church is about life, after all. And we are asked to offer that same vision to people, animals and to planet. But first we must see the signs for ourselves. I would love, if you take up this challenge in May, to hear those stories from you. About new life around you, about new attempts you have made, maybe even new possibilities opened up. You can email me (kat.alt@hotmail.com) or look me up on facebook or you can let me know on Sunday when you see me (don‟t worry, it won‟t end up in a sermon unless I have your permission!). And don‟t tell just me. Tell others. And I‟ll share my stories with you. Let‟s spread the word that life is a gift from God, that life is good, and for that we can give thanks.
Pastor Katherine