In today’s Gospel passage, Luke tells us that it was Jesus’ custom to go to the synagogue in Nazareth on the sabbath day. As a faithful Jew, the synagogue was, undoubtedly, a central part of Jesus’ life. It was a place where he went to worship his heavenly Father, to grow in his faith, and to be nurtured in community.
Like the synagogue in Nazareth was for Jesus, for many of us, St. Paul’s has a special place in our life. It’s the place where we go to be with others and give our God thanks and praise. It’s the place where we grow in our faith and find the inspiration to live our faith daily. It’s the place where we go to celebrate the joy of new birth. It’s the place where we go to commit ourselves to that special other for a journey of a lifetime. It’s the place where we go to find consolation in the midst of suffering and hope in our darkest despair. It’s the place where we go to mourn the loss of a loved one. It’s the place where we are nurtured, cared for, and encouraged. Simply put, it’s the place where we encounter God in the context of community.
As we bring our 2019 Stewardship Pledge Drive to a close and gather for our Annual Meeting, we once again commit ourselves to providing the financial support needed to sustain St. Paul’s in its mission to be a special place where people encounter God in the context of a loving, liberating, and life-giving community. Thank you for your generous support of St. Paul’s!
In Christ,
Fr. Paul+