|
|||||
|
|
|||||
Immanuel Lutheran Church
The Beacon Online - November, 2008
From Pastor Peggy Rose....
Come to Christ, the living stone…
And like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house.
~ 1 Peter 2:4a & 5a ~
Dear Members and Friends of Immanuel:
I don’t know if your life gets like mine, but I often find myself hydroplaning through life. You know how it goes: not quite touching down, glancing at things "once over lightly", multitasking, missing things. It is good to be assured that, even as we move ahead in our plans for our personal and congregation’s lives, God takes time for us, has a plan for us, and is working with us:
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,
Plans for your welfare and not for harm,
To give you a future with hope.
~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~
The coming year will be both exciting and challenging for our congregation. However, this is not a time to coast, but to move forward in faith as we share and enhance ministry, and envision our future. I hope that you will take time to be an active part of our life together here at Immanuel Lutheran Church through intentional prayer, participation, and financial support.
Thank you for the wonderful turnout for our Appeal Kick-off! Your response to the materials in the Building to Renew Building Fund & Stewardship Appeal are vital to our ongoing mission and ministry here at Immanuel Lutheran, in the surrounding Negaunee community, and the ELCA’s mission around the world. Your prayers, time, talent, and offerings do make a difference in the lives of so many. Please prayerfully consider your commitment and partnership with your fellow members here at Immanuel Lutheran Church for 2009 and the Building to Renew Appeal, and let us take the time to come together on All Saints Sunday, November 2nd & 3rd for our Celebration Weekend and culmination to our building appeal and stewardship drive.
I encourage you to continue to take the time to participate in the ongoing life of our congregation and especially in the visioning process as we look at where God is leading us as a congregation. Your input in the recent Call Process Update Meeting and Help Form will help the Call Committee create our Congregational Profile and move forward the process of calling new pastoral leadership for Immanuel Lutheran Church.
In closing I share a prayer that has sustained and given me hope along with countless other sisters and brothers in Christ across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending,
By paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown, to joys immeasurable.
Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go,
But only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.*
Rejoicing in God’s Abundant Grace & Gifts,
Pastor Peggy Rose
*(Adapted from Evening Prayer, page 317, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, ELCA, 2006)