Grace Notes 2025-11-19

You are probably aware of it, but if not, you should know our congregation is facing some challenges. Headwinds are never comfortable, but adversity does help to define us. For when we encounter difficulties, we are more inclined to turn to God for help, and we are more likely to take stock of our situation and by the grace of God redouble our thinking, efforts, and priorities.

What are some of those challenges? For starters, with a growing number of retirees we have more people traveling and more people wintering down south. We also have at least two families that are considering moving outside the area with an understandable priority of being close to family, in particular to children and grandchildren.

This has had an immediate impact on finding worship assistants and the rotation of certain duties, such as cleaning the church and providing refreshments for the Coffee Fellowship after the Divine Service. We have seen a slight decrease in worship attendance. And although we have not seen a decline in giving compared to last year, some of the absences are only now happening.

We have also have not had many opportunities to welcome new members and host guests, visitors, and prospective new members.

I believe the way forward is to avoid despair and to keep the faith. Planning and strategizing are in order, but not before we turn to God! And by turning to God, I mean seeking Him on our knees and in His Word.

The elders discussed with me a first step in that direction. We want to have as many of you as possible to gather with us on the first three Wednesday evenings in Advent for prayer. This would be on December 3, 10, & 17 for an hour, starting at 6:30pm. Resources in our hymnbook can guide us. We will pray for each other along with God’s guidance for our going forward. Please plan to be a part of this.

Since You Asked

What is the significance of Christ the King Sunday? 

The Festival of Christ the King marks the end of the long season after Pentecost, and it anticipates the day when Christ will return and be revealed to everyone as the rightful ruler of the world. The appointed lessons for the day make it clear that at the end of the age Christ will come in power and great glory. Previous to this we have known his gentle rule. We have known King Jesus as the one who shed his blood to free us from the grips of sin and death. But when he comes again in glory he will come to judge the living and the dead. There will then be no doubt as to who the sovereign of the cosmos is!