Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy one, give thanks because God’s given Jesus Christ, the Son. And now let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us. Give thanks. (popular praise song text)
And I do. Every day. I give thanks for each and every one of you and for this place where I indeed became strong once again as God worked through each of you for heal-ing. I came feeling very poor and now I feel richer than ever.
And so I do give thanks for you, your support, your friendship and your love. For the opportunity to walk in our faith journeys together. It truly has been an honor and great privilege to serve as your pastor for the last two years. I am proud of the time I have spent with you.
And as our paths are about to diverge I want to take a minute to encourage you to live into what God is calling this par-ish to do. A number of years ago you said ‘yes’ to joining two two-point charges into one four-point charge. No one knew exactly how that would turn out. But you were called to step out in faith and welcomed Pastor Mike and me. I think we have done some great work together, Pastor Mike’s Advent and Lenten studies always go well, he has lifted up the SCF Food shelf and gotten that going again. We now have a parish wide older youth group which has brought in youth from outside the churches, and is about to embark on its first (hopefully not last) mission trip. We’ve started one house church kind of small group on the north end which is going strong, and we would like to see more groups like that blossom. Our Ad councils are creating something very new – a Parish wide Council to do the business work of the parish – you are becoming the leaders in creating something new! You are partnering with God in doing a new thing!
There are challenges ahead, to be sure. There are real concerns that need to be addressed. But remember that under-neath all the concerns, God is calling you. God is inviting you to partner even more deeply with Him in order to do the work you have been called to do. I firmly believe, because I’ve seen it in my own life, that whatever God calls us to, God will provide the way forward, as long as we are willing to listen to His call and not lean on our own understanding. As long as we walk by faith and let God be in charge of EVERYTHING, not just what we want to let go of.
My prayer for each of you is one of thanksgiving and blessing. Gratitude for friendship and love; and courage and faith to follow where God leads you next. Trust God and His plan for you. Your new pastors will bring energy, youth, new ideas to you. Be willing to step out and walk with them, to follow them even if the path seems unfamiliar. Be as wel-coming and loving to them as you have been to me. God guided them here for a reason, just as God guided me here.
As we wind down our days together, I continue to marvel at this place and the experience of resurrection I have had here. You are truly God’s hands, feet and heart in this place and I am so grateful that God led me here. I know that you will make Pastors Ran Yoo and Kookho Kim just as welcome and glad to be serving here as I have been.
Sisters and brothers in Christ, may God richly bless you in all that you do.
In Christ
Pastor Kris

Posted in Atlas, Grantsburg, Parish News, St. Croix Falls