Weekly Update

This coming Sunday is the last Sunday after the Epiphany, Transfiguration Sunday. This means Lent is right around the corner. Ash Wednesday is next Wednesday. We are about to enter a time of fasting and repentance in preparation for the celebration of Easter. Mark places Transfiguration of our Lord on Mount Tabor between two discourses of Jesus on the necessity of his suffering on the Cross. We prepare to enter Lent by both reflecting on the revelation of Divine light and the divinity of Jesus on Mt. Tabor and then we like Jesus turn our attention to the Cross. For as we know before we get to Easter we must pass through Good Friday.
As we make this liturgical move in the church year, we are in the midst of transition.
This past Monday our council/core group met once again to write a revised vision statement and set out our one three and five year plans. This is still in process and will be completed at our next meeting on February 27th. At the same time for the past two weeks our weekly attendance has been doubled. We praise God and welcome those who are new to us.
All of this means that we move into Lent at a point of transition for ourselves, as we seek to live into our renewed vision and our strategic plans for the next years. As we seek to continue to welcome new people into our midst.
I think it is a gift of God that we enter this new situation at the same time as we enter Lent and walk with Christ to the cross and on to the joyous victory of Easter. We need to keep in mind that it is for Christ and the proclamation of the cross that we have planted this church and come together week after week. It is not our success, or the success of this particular church plant that we work. However it is for the proclamation of Christ and him crucified and risen again for our sake and that of the world that we do everything and anything at Reconciler, as those called out into the purposes of God.
During Lent Kate Kamphausen will be leading a Lenten Bible Study on the Gospel of John before the worship service. Our Ash Wednesday service, as has been announced, will be 7:30 PM at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church joining Immanuel and St Elias for their service of communion and imposition of ashes.
In Christ,
Larry Kamphausen
Pastoral Team