November 1, 2023
Beloved,
What would it be like on my last day on earth? Am I going to die alone? Will anyone be sitting beside me? What sort of things will people remember me by? While I’ve always contemplated these thoughts occasionally, these questions have lingered in my ears more loudly as I reach fifty, having encountered many significant events in life. At the beginning of the fall parish council, I shared these questions in hopes of sparking a conversation about developing a stronger faith family unafraid of being vulnerable to exchange these ideas in the age of finding comfort in clear-cut plans to eliminate mysteries rather than in faithful resilience to live with questions fearlessly. The council generated soulful conversations.
I have been recommending a movie, A Man Called Otto. A Swedish writer, Fredrik Backman, wrote the original novel, A Man Called Ove; it was also available in a foreign film a few years back. Otto is an American adaptation of his work, and the filmmaker did a great job incorporating contemporary issues specific to the country. If you have not watched it, I hope you will find time to grab a box of Kleenex and enjoy the movie.
I recommend this movie because it conveys my vision and hopes for the St. Paul family, which comprises people from all walks of life. Whether you are a visitor, new or an old-time parish or preschool member, young or old, single, married, divorced, or widowed – we share our lives by caring for each other through thick and thin from birth to the point of departure. Jesus teaches us about God’s grace and merciful love in our shared lives as he did in the scripture. If the movie Otto is an American adaptation of Ove, our shared lives can be described as the St. Paul family version of the Good News, in which I am incredibly humbled by the opportunity to serve as your pastor.
The latest Good News is the result of the capital campaign. Words failed to express my gratitude for your generosity. Better yet, our preschool also joined in this campaign and agreed to contribute $25,000! As a result, we have raised $85,000, $10,000 more than our goal! Learning from the new boiler purchase, Vestry is now working to establish a rainy-day fund to prepare for emergencies. It is remarkable to witness your resilient transition from losing the boiler a year ago, gathering in the cold sanctuary weekly, launching a successful capital campaign to welcome new equipment, and continually looking ahead to the future. What an incredible testimony about this solid, caring community!
All that said, we will celebrate together on November 19th – Commitment Sunday Thanksgiving luncheon. You will soon receive an invitation letter from Vestry to the luncheon. R.S.V.P., and let us know if you can make it. We will provide turkey (and ham) from Honey Baked Ham, and we’d like you to bring your side dish. The information will be in the letter. Your response will help us figure out headcounts. We will gather in love, commit in good faith, thank God, and rejoice in our fellowship as One Body. It’s November; it’s Thanksgiving. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Faithfully,
Fr. Andrew
