LIFE OF THE CHURCH
Dear First Pres SLO Family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus the Messiah, the one who offers reconciliation for our brokenness, and comfort in our struggles. Thank God!
I’ve been thinking about this passage lately.
“3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Second Corinthians 1:3-4
This is such a beautiful expression of the Great Commandment—of loving God and loving others as ourselves. We praise God for the love and comfort we receive, so that we can turn around and offer those same blessings to others. You hear Jen say it every Sunday: “Love God, love others, and do things.”
This is an important week in the life of our church, for a handful of different reasons.
First, this Saturday we’re hosting a Walk for Mental Health Awareness here at the church. This is our way of beginning a conversation about how we can share the love and comfort we enjoy here with people who are struggling. If you were here this past Sunday you know how deeply this matters to me—I know many of you feel the same way. (If you missed Sunday’s message, you can see it here—it begins just after the 42-minute mark.) This first step is our way of learning more about how our church can reach out in love to people who are hurting.
Second, this Sunday will be our Kirkin’ of the Tartan service. We’ll have special music and a piper, and we’ll honor the members of our church family whom we’ve lost in this past year. It’s our hope that this will be a source of comfort for those still grieving, and an opportunity to lend a shoulder for those who feel the pain of their loss.
Finally, October is the time to kick off our annual Stewardship Season, where we ask all of you to prayerfully consider ways to partner with us in ministry for the coming year. We’ll celebrate the work we’re doing in Christian education, music and worship, and outreach in the community, and other ministries. Mostly, we want to look ahead to 2023 as a year for growth and excitement in the ways we serve. As always, you’ll have multiple opportunities to see a pledge form! Join us in this important and exciting conversation.
Looking back at that passage from Second Corinthians, all of these announcements fit into the rhythm of receiving and sharing the comfort we find in God. I invite you to reflect this week on the ways God has loved you and comforted you in the past, and to look around for someone in your own circle who might need that from you.
Blessings to you and yours, and stay safe and healthy!
Pastor John