Welcome for July 27, 2025
Pastor Jean M. Hansen
It is so wonderful to welcome all of you today as we gather for worship; we look forward to being blessed by our musical guests, to fellowship and to good food. I’m especially glad to welcome Pastor Becki Verbridge, interim pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, and our friends from that congregation who are here for this collaborative event.
As we begin worship today, I want to share news that the folks from Faith have already received through a letter that was sent to their homes this past week. I have announced my retirement date, which will be on January 31, 2026, six months from now.
Such an announcement needs to be followed by everyone taking a deep breath! We are in year 24 of ministry together, so this will be a significant time of transition for us all. My prayer is that it will also be a time of celebration, of community building, of faith-strengthening and of relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance. Our friends from Holy Trinity have been and still are in such a transition; I’m sure they will be a source of support and wise counsel.
In any case, today is not the day to work out the details of what’s next, and it certainly is not a time for worry. This is a day for singing, for fun and for food! This is the day that the Lord has made … or, as I said on Easter … this is the day that the Lord as done it! Let us rejoice and be glad in it. And, if the Lord has done it … including bringing life in the face of death when Jesus was resurrected … then surely God will do marvelous things among us all, whatever challenges we may face.
Therefore, let us rejoice and be glad! Please stand as we share God’s peace with one another, thankful for the faith we share.
The peace of the Lord be with you all!