It was wonderful to be with you one final Sunday, as I complete my season at Lord of Life. I look forward to joining you for two weeks later this summer, near the end of Pastor Lowell’s sabbatical. I know you will be in excellent hands as Pastor Mary cares for you and you for her.
I want to extend a heartfelt word of thanks to the Lord of Life community. I began my time with you in October, having one of the most abrupt and unexpected employment transitions of my career. I was uncertain what the future held, had a mix of grief and anxiety, and wondered what future work or ministry may look like. And you provided a soft, spirit filled place to land. With kindness, support and words of encouragement, you fully welcomed me into the community. I feel a deep kinship to you all and will have a long-standing spiritual connection to Lord of Life for years to come. I look forward to visiting you in the future and keeping you close as a prayer partner on my faith journey.
As I depart in this season, I want to offer you words of hope and encouragement: Keep being the Church!
Through your weekly worship, fellowship, education, and service to the community, you encompass what it means to love our neighbors. This was evident the first time I walked through the doors, and every week since. You know who you are because you know WHOSE you are. The reason we gather is to proclaim Christ crucified and Risen for the sake of the world. We gather to be refreshed and renewed and to go forth in service to others. I have rarely seen a community so centered and committed to this mission.
In our time together, you have reaffirmed my calling, showed God’s love, and offered joy and laughter week after week. Our world needs you and your faith.
Following Jesus, being a disciple, and living in community doesn’t mean everything is smooth, that we’ll never have tension and that we’ll always get along. Discipleship means we have to find courage to speak against oppression, against idolatry, and to turn to the early church for comfort and inspiration. To know there are people who went before us and experienced hardships—people like Stephen, the first martyr, whom we read about in this week’s scripture (Acts 7:55-60). People like the freedom fighters of the 1960s. Women who sought the right to vote and to be pastors and proclaim the Word.
The path of discipleship is not always an easy one. And that’s why communities like Lord of Life are so essential. It’s through places like this gathering, breaking bread, serving, laughing, and living in community, that we have the courage to speak truth in these times. So keep being community. Keep asking hard questions. Keep loving your neighbor and advocating for the immigrant, for the LGBTQIA+, for ALL children of God who need YOU in this world. Keep being the living Body of Christ.
Until we meet again…
Pastor Tracy Paschke-Johannes