Dear Members of Concordia Lutheran Church:

Grace and Peace to you in our Lord Jesus Christ!

St. Paul wrote in Philemon 1:21:  

"Confident of your obedience, I write to you,

knowing that you will do even more than I ask."

Intimacy, love, care, trust and hope are appropriate feelings and expectations of St. Paul to his friend, Philemon.

They are fitting words for us also, as the first Sunday of September 2010, our Church begins the new academic year. Summer is over . . . and it is "back to work" as always . . . for the next nine months ahead of us for continuing the work of the Lord in our congregation and community.

It is always a time of seeking and hoping; that we, as a people, will do more than we are asked.

Why? Because we know . . . the love of the Lord, and to our Lord, it is that way of being a servant. Our Lord does more for us than we can ever expect from Him . . . He goes beyond whatever could be imagined for anybody . . . giving His Life for ours. He is the One to whom we owe everything . . . . our life and our salvation. So, for firsts: we do not want to disappoint our Lord!

Therefore the expectations are in order and plainly a part of our being and belonging to the Body of Christ. (So St. Paul could express such confidence to Philemon . . . . and, I am confident, to ourselves as well.)

As your co-Pastor, even though briefly these next eight weeks, we necessarily have high expectations of each other to be sure the work of our shared ministry at Concordia moves ahead in the whole of needs for the Parish Ministry.

Pastor Jim Kloster and myself will be sharing pulpit and parish ministry for September and October in Pastor Bruce’s place. We both ask for your prayers and support for Concordia Lutheran parish . . . and knowing . . . with Apostle Paul,  that you will do even more than asked.

The Lord bless and keep you each one, in worship and service!

In Christ Jesus,

Pr Don Walker