A Word From the Pastor (February-March 2007)

Dear Friends:

From an early age I remember singing the challenging words of Cecil Frances Alexander's familiar hymn, "Jesus Calls Us." The first verse gives a taste of the hymn's theme:

Jesus calls us o'er the tumult
of our life's wild restless sea;
day by day his sweet voice soundeth,
saying, "Christian, follow me!"

From the beginning God has called people to special tasks, invited people to embrace particular missions, urged his children to embark on remarkable sojourns of faith. Noah heard God's call to build an ark and thus became the father of a new humanity. Abraham heard God's call to leave home and kindred and spent the rest of his life as a stranger in a strange land. Yet, through his faithful obedience, he inherited God's good promises and became a blessing to many nations. Moses was called by God to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt to a new land. He gave his heart and soul to the task, guiding the Hebrew people out of bondage into freedom. When Jeremiah was still a youth, he heard God's call to become a prophet to the nations. His voice was a voice of judgment and hope that echoes still today. Mary and Joseph were summoned to God's service at the word of an angel and gave themselves to the task of nurturing the child Jesus, God's own Son. Peter and Andrew, James and John, encountered Jesus by the seaside and responded to this powerful summons "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Throughout the ages God has called people to speak and serve in God's holy name. God still calls and waits for our faithful response.

In this Lenten season, as you listen for God's voice, what is God calling you to do? What mission or purpose has God asked you to fulfill? I have an older friend who is sick and struggling. She regularly asks me, "Why am I still here?" And my answer to her is simple. "You are here because God wants you here. You are here for a reason. The reason may not be clear, but God still has some purpose for your life." Whatever our life circumstances, we still need to listen for God's call. We still need to seek God's will. We need to fulfill God's purpose for our lives.

The God who created you knows your gifts and your possibilities. The God who saved you through Jesus Christ loves you and values your potential. The God who sustains you by the Holy Spirit has hopes and dreams for your life and is ready to empower you for the journey.

In this season of Lent, may you hear God's call. May you gain clarity regarding your mission, your purpose, God's intention for your life. May you hear God's call and answer with the prophet Isaiah -- "Here am I, Lord. Send me."

In Christ's Love,
Rev. Peggy Ann Sauerhoff