Almost Weekly Update

Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Whenever I read these words from Psalm 30, I am reminded of a powerful sermon I heard in Washington DC. The preacher stood in the pulpit of The First Baptist Church of Washington DC. He was preaching to a room filled with clergy from various denominations all attending a preaching conference. So, what was the message? This is the state of the Church. We are a divided body - divided by race and theology. And though weeping may linger for the night, joy comes with the morning. This is the hope of the Gospel, and it extends into all aspects our lives. So too it is with denominationalism in the Church. This is my belief.

There is much to report from life at Reconciler.

Ash Wednesday services will be celebrated with our host congregation, Immanuel Lutheran. Eucharist and imposition of ashes is at 7:30. We hope that you will all join us there. And many thanks to Immanuel for including us.

We had eight guests this past weekend! We ran out of bulletins and had to open another box of the new Covenant Hymnals we purchased before the Christmas holiday. It was very exciting. Keep us in your prayers, that we may continue to enjoy such challenges.

Please see the blog for the specifics - Larry has moved the Thursday evening location for his "office hours." He will be at the Starbucks on Sheridan near the Village North Theater. I will be at Kopi this Friday from 7-9pm. Do visit the blog from time to time to find out where Larry and I may be. We would love your company.

Our friends at up/rooted remind us that Dave Tomlinson will be at North Park this Sunday evening, February 19th, from 5pm to 7pm in the Olsson Lounge in the Seminary Building of North Park University. If you cannot attend worship, do try to go.

He will be speaking to us about his new book (which hasn't come out in the US yet), Running into God: Reflections for Ordinary Days, and the narrative theology undergirding it. In this book Tomlinson investigates the sacrament of ordinariness - that we can run into God anywhere, anytime, in any situation, through any person, and how this everydayness draws us into the Story of God.

We want to remind the Council of our meeting on 2/20 at 7pm at Taqueria #2 on Sheridan. We will continue to work through our one, three, and five year plans. Also, we want to come as close as we can to finishing our revised Vision Statement.

As you can see, we have a lot going on at Reconciler.

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

Peace and all good things,

Tripp Hudgins
The Pastoral Team