Pastor's Monthly Message

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Autumnal Greetings!

For those of you who haven't met me, I am Pastor Jeff Ziegler and am currently serving as the "vice pastor" at Holy Nativity while Pastor Andy is on the mend. This means that I will be helping out with the congregation council and be available as a pastoral presence for the congregation. In addition, I will be present for worship most weekends. 

Some thoughts on November:

November is bookended by opportunities for giving thanks. November 1 is All Saints' Day -- which we celebrate on the first Sunday of November as All Saints' Sunday. It is a time to give thanks for the faithful departed. God makes each of us holy in the waters of baptism, and those who have died may well have inspired us with the living of their lives. It does not mean that they got it all right all the time. We continuously live as both saint and sinner, just as God continuously restores us to relationship. Thanks be to God!

At the end of the month we have the national holiday of Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday. It is easy to get caught up in romanticizing the past or creating unrealistic expectations for what this year may hold. For others it is the eve of a key shopping day. Whatever our past or present circumstances, we have the opportunity to give thanks to the God who enters into our lives with love, grace. and mercy -- in the midst of sorrow and pain, in the midst of celebration and joy. Thanks be to God!

In between these two bookends we have the opportunity to gather weekly and celebrate the Great Thanksgiving as a part of our communion liturgy in worship. Thanks be to God!

I look forward to sharing some of this time of thanksgiving with you.

Peace,

Pastor Jeff