Pastor's Page

 (Jesus) has given us, through these things
 his precious and very great promises,
so that through them you may escape from the corruption
that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants
of the divine nature.

For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness and goodness with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance,
and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection,
and mutual affection with love.
                        2 Peter 1:4-7

Dear Christian Friends,

            What a wonderful letter Second Peter is to the Church.  It is one of my favorite books of the New Testament, after the four Gospels.  The passage above speaks clearly to us as we again enter into a new phase of building and growth.  Our Nolte Center has been such an asset to our ministry and such a joy to our gatherings; I can hardly wait to embrace the joy the next phase of building will bring.

            Spring is here with graduations and the anticipated change of scheduling for the summer—both in our personal lives and in our church life.  It brings with it a restlessness and a longing for Summer to begin.

            Summer is a time of planting, tending the crops, building and growing.  It is my prayer that we will build and grow in concrete ways this Summer.  That as we add to our current building and we will grow in faith and community spirit.  Just as the vegetables and flowers of our gardens grow together with all their differences to enhance our lives, it is my prayer that in our congregation each person’s gifts and contributions to “God’s Garden of Zion” are valued and lifted up in love.  

In Christ’s Love,

Rev. Glatha  Rathjen