To me, it feels like 2009 has been a year of looking inward. And that was intentional. We have explored the bible and our Lutheran theological tradition together, and we will continue to do so. We've tried to make our physical space more workable and attractive, which will be an on-going project. But these were all about US.

So, I'm going to give you folks a heads-up of what I'm thinking about for 2010. I'd like to make 2010 a year of mission, of looking beyond our doors, of touching people in the community with good news. I don't know exactly what this looks like yet, so I'd like to hear your ideas. And so would our executive. How can we impact people in our community with the gospel?

With this in mind, my pastoral priorities for 2010 are:

✔ Determining our mission focus and developing a congregational mission project

✔ Reinvigorating our ChristCare Small Group Ministry

✔ Leading a Spiritual Gifts discernment class for people to grow in their knowledge of themselves and how they can minister to others

✔ Recruiting and training people to minister to our inactive members

✔ Developing our seniors’ ministry with Pastor Jim, who, with your approval, will come on board as our new Director of Senior's Ministry.

These priorities will be fleshed out in my annual pastor's report to give you a better sense of what's in store for 2010.

Please pray for our church and our on-going mission as messenger of God's grace. Pray that God will give us the wisdom and strength to be the agents of resurrection that we are called to be in Jesus' name.

Your Partner in Christ's Mission,

Pastor Kevin

Dear LCGS Family,

Starting on September 13, we are going to read the Bible together – again. Like we did during Lent when we read through the Gospel of Mark, this Fall we're going to read through Paul's Letter to the Romans.

Why Romans?

Romans, many Bible commentators say, is the heart of scripture for protestants. It was while reading Romans 3: 21-28, that Martin Luther came to the conclusion that we don't come into a right relationship with God through any actions of our own. No good work is good enough. No prayer brings us closer to God. It is God who initiates a relationship with us and claims us as God's own children through Holy Baptism, where we are joined to Jesus' death and resurrection:

But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. (Rom 3: 21-28)

I'm going to warn you. Romans is a hard book to read. But within it lies the core of what we believe as Christians.

I invite you to take this journey with me as we explore our faith together through the reading of scripture.

In Jesus' Name,

Pastor Kevin