As time moves forward, we will get to know a lot more about each other. If you need to know something, please ask. I look forward to meeting all of you and learning about you. Together we are God’s children.

We may not get 3000 in one Sunday, but I am confident that God has great things in store for Holy Lamb – well above what any of us can imagine today. I encourage you to plan NOW to be ready to reap the harvest that will come as the Holy Spirit works the miracle of faith in the hearts of hearers in the years ahead.

In this, my second-to-the-last newsletter column, I would like to
share some thoughts about my optimism for Holy Lamb’s future. Paul
begins his second letter to the Thessalonians with these words, “We ought
always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your

faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one an-
other is increasing.

This year, the first week in April is Holy Week. Over the course of
just eight days, we go from the jubilation of Jesus triumphantly entering
Jerusalem as the crowd shouts, “Hosanna to the son of David,” to his
appearance before Pilate amid shouts of, “Crucify him,” to his victorious
resurrection, reported by Mary Magdalene to the disciples, “I have seen
the Lord!”

As I stated at the beginning of this column, our primary focus remains the mission and ministry of Holy Lamb – bringing the comfort, hope, and peace of the Gospel to bear in the lives of our members, guests, and the community. To that end, we continue to engage in our regular and occasional ministry actions.

As we move through this time of transition, let us pray and trust that the Holy Spirit will guide the Call Committee, that He will lead members to step forward to assist in new ways, and that He will continue to lead new people to Holy Lamb to be nourished with God’s Word and Sacraments.

I pray your Christmas was blessed by the knowledge that Christ was

born to bring the assurance of forgiveness and eternal life to you. Some-
times, even when we remember the ‘reason for the season,’ we forget the

specifics associated with the birth of Jesus. He came to earth to die so that
you can go to heaven to live! It cannot be stated more simply than that.
 

Allowing our faith to reorient us away from our pain and to our Savior enables us to joyfully anticipate Christ’s coming, even in the face of anxiety and uncertainty.

Our faith encourages us to reconnect with our fellow Christians in celebration of the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life his birth promises.
May your faith in your Savior make this season of anticipation and celebration a joyful time for you.

My point is to encourage you to enjoy each season we are in to its fullest. That means take the time to relish all the unique features and aspects of each season, rather than simply check them off the list of holidays to get through until the next one. So, in the next paragraphs I’ll highlight some opportunities to enrich your individual seasonal celebrations in the hope that you will be blessed, specifically by each season. If I might paraphrase, “Let’s remember the reason for each season.”

I look forward to Ian being as minimal as they are forecasting. And I look forward to helping you when an event comes along that allows the church to more broadly serve you in an unexpected time of need.