January/February Chimes

Pastor’s

Letter

From the Associate Pastor

“Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries.”

1 Corinthians 4:1.

Paul writes these words to the Christian community in Corinth. They come as part of his effort to resolve conflicts that are taking place in that community around personal loyalty to various leaders in the early church, Paul among them. He encourages his readers not to think of these apostles as worthy, on their own, of great acclaim and recognition but instead as servants, stewards pointing others to something much greater than themselves. Paul identifies this “something” as the mysteries of God.

In reflecting and reporting on the last year, anticipating our upcoming annual meeting, I am finding this way of speaking about Christian discipleship very meaningful. It is not only apostles, such as Paul, or clergy, or church workers in general, but all the faithful who are called to be “stewards of God’s mysteries.” I love the idea that the good news of Jesus is something we are entrusted to care for, in addition to being hearers and recipients of.

As a Christian community, we can and should operate with the idea that every event, program, meeting, or anything else we do is a means for sharing the good news that we are entrusted with. Thinking this way gives all of our varied initiatives an equal footing in terms of their importance; all of our work is an opportunity to lovingly share the mystery of God made flesh, to be the kind of stewards I believe Paul has in mind in his letter.

At the special congregational meeting on January 12th, you all voted to extend me a call as your associate pastor. I am honored and grateful to accept this call. It is my prayer that everything I do in this role (and that I have done in my time here already) is in service of being a good steward of the mysteries of God. As 2025 unfolds, I look forward to continuing that work with and among you, people of St. Paul’s.

May the peace of Christ be with you always,

Pastor Tim

Read the January/February Chimes HERE.