FROM THE PASTOR…
Thank you all for the recent time away from the normal routines of life. The last week of October was used as vacation, although it was a stay-cation because it involved doing projects around the house. Sometimes there are things that just need focused attention and uninterrupted time to get finished, especially when it comes to gaping holes in the side of your house and cold weather is on the way. Our main project involved replacing our front door, which had dry rotted from moisture infiltration, and also changing two windows into doors. The house had no back door, but now it has two.
Just last night I turned on the new porch light and opened one of the new back doors, peeking out into the windy night. Perched on a nearby fence post sat a Great Horned Owl. What a gift to see this creature in our back yard! I would likely have missed it if that door wasn’t there, so already the benefits of this project are happening.
The next week was for Study Leave, and I headed to Cottonwood, Idaho and participated in a retreat that explored the sacred art of writing as a spiritual discipline. Writing is a central aspect to ministry as I use words to convey larger truths of faith, divine Presence, and awareness of the Living Christ. It was a great week to deal with blocks to this creative flow, to visit with other writers, to learn from knowledgeable and experienced leaders who patiently give of themselves, and to enjoy the setting of the St. Gertrude’s Monastery on the side of a hill overlooking the Camas Prairie. Like the door project at home, this was a week that depended on a dedicated time for focus, intentionality, hard work, and a desire to partner with God in the creative process.
This fall as we see the seasons in transition, look at your own life and what God is doing to creatively reveal grace and love. Explore what blocks you’re dealing with, and invite God to create a door, and then open it into the sensitivity and spaciousness of awakened faith.
Peace and All Good,
Pastor Andy