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Newsletter
August 2020
Pastor’s
Letter
One of my favorite
children’s book begins “Julia’s house came to town and settled
by the sea.” Ben Hatke tells the story of Julia whose house comes
to town and is too quiet. Julia gets the idea to hang a sign that
says “Julia’s house for lost creatures.” She waits and then a
patched up kittie comes to live with her, leaving kitty marks all
over the house and on the walls. Then a sad troll come to the door
and settled into her favorite chair. Then a whole lot different
creatures show up asking for towels, soap, food, and spilling things
without cleaning up after themselves, and using Julia’s stuff.
Julia yelled “everybody stop!” And she makes a new sign “Julia’s
House Chore Chart.” And all the lost creatures helped maintain
their new home.
In John 1, we are told that
Jesus tabernacled among us---or as the Message puts it—God moved
into the neighborhood. God’s house came to town and settled next
door. We saw the sign outside that said “God’s house for lost
creatures.” And we moved in. We once were lost, but now we are
found.
Yet, like in Julia’s
story, we find that God calls us to participate in the Father’s
House. This is what discipleship is all about—learning how to live
in a new way. There is a new language we have to learn. Instead of
speaking the language of fear, we are learning the language of love.
Instead of living selfishly, we are learning to live generously. Paul
in Romans states it as no longer living by our selfish nature but by
the Spirit. Being a disciple is about going through that journey or
process where we learn how to live by the Spirit, speak the new
language of love. That is the main mission of the church—to make
disciples….and we all are being made into disciples and we are all
called to make disciples. As your pastor, I am needing to be trained
as a disciple. Whether you have been a member of a church since a
baby or for only a year, we all need to be trained as a disciple.
So what does the “chore
chart” look like? How are you being made into a disciple—learning
to live in the way of Jesus?
In September we will start
looking at the Way of Jesus so we can train as disciples. I
encourage you to think of ways you can grow in your faith, become a
disciple, and who can you encourage to grow in their faith. Together
we can be the church—God’s House for lost creatures.
In Christ,
Pastor
Leanne