Weekly Word from Pastor Jim…
August 9, 2016
I just watched the sermon from last Sunday on Facebook. What a wonderful message and a heartfelt final sermon for Pastor Elizabeth. As she said, this is not what any of us had planned on or hoped for. Life is that way sometimes. God is that way sometimes. Not every journey has a fairy-tale ending. We will continue to celebrate Pastor Elizabeth on August 21st with a festive coffee hour between the morning services. We will send her out from TLC for the second time as a missionary. As we do so we know that she will take a little TLC with her as she serves our Lord in a new ministry setting.
August 9th is a special day. It is a special day because God has blessed the church and us with a special couple. On August 9, 1964 Pastor Dennis Hanson was ordained into the ministry. For the past 52 years Dennis and Jeri have served God’s church. Together they have made a joyful noise in the choir, at the keyboard and with special musical offerings. Together they have made this world and our congregation a better place.Pastor Dennis and Jeri have the second longest pastoral presence in the history of TLC. I am so very grateful that God brought them to us. I am so very grateful to have had the privilege of serving side by side with them. When Pastor Dennis and Jeri left Anacortes Lutheran Church it was a great loss to that community and a great blessing to ours.
I am so very grateful too for the joy of sharing the pastoral office with Pastor Elizabeth. Pastor Elizabeth has spent most of her adult life at TLC. She felt the call to ordained ministry here. We supported her and prayed for her as she heeded God’s call and went to Seminary. We celebrated her calling as she was ordained at her home congregation—TLC. We sent her out to her first call. And now we send her out again. It may not have been as we expected, but God will use her. It is a great loss to our community, but it will be a real blessing to another community of faith. That is the way it works. Thanks be to God.
So this Sunday we are going to have a party for Pastor Dennis and Jeri. Bring a card, bring a hug, bring a smile and celebrate this amazing couple who God has called to serve us. And on August 21st bring a card and a smile as celebrate Pastor Elizabeth’s time with us.
Blessed to be a Blessing!
My love to you!
Pastor Jim
