Hello, Friends!
      On Sunday evening we had our first convening of the administrative board, our church's governing  council, for the new  year.  From several vantage points there emerged a common theme, a shared desire, a focused dream— to tell our stories, and to hear the  stories of others.
      How do we introduce children to their family?  How does anyone  come to feel a part of any assemblage of humans?   We invite, and are invited, to participate in the group's ritual practices, traditional  observances, holy times.   We invite, and are invited, to join in some good work that holds the family together, keeps the engine humming, helps others.  Kids learn that washing dishes, raking leaves, and taking out the trash is part of what family means.   
Members of churches and other groups who roll up their sleeves and take active part learn something about belonging that second-hand  observation simply can't duplicate.   We invite, and are invited, to  accompany others through the valleys and over the peaks--in times of  deepest sorrow, and greatest joy, when what matters most is knowing 
we're not alone, that someone cares.
       Along the way, a most wonderful part of being human is how humans get to know other humans-- by learning each other's stories-- by hearing and telling the wonderful, terrible, funny, sad,  successful, failing, birthing, dying, endlessly creating moments of  being and becoming that make up the warp and woof of our journey.
      Longtimers of St. Luke, I challenge you--find a relative  newcomer, in age or time connected with our faith community, and make  time for some focused story-telling.   Ask questions, and listen for more questions. Talk about how God works in your life; tell about  what St. Luke has meant along the way. Newcomers to St. Luke, I challenge you, too--find a longtimer, in age or time around the church, and make time for the same.  And  find a way to get involved, and stay connected, beyond Sunday morning  worship.   If there isn't anything happening that grabs you, talk to me, and we'll find a way to get something started.  And I challenge all of us, no matter what our state of connection (or lack thereof) to St. Luke may be--let's find time this week to learn something of someone else's story, and to share something of ours.   Maybe we'll sit down or take a walk with an old friend or a dear family member, and find yet again how mysterious and unique even the most familiar soul's journey can be.   Or maybe we'll encounter someone brand new to our path, and discover in listening and speaking some long-forgotten or newly met wisdom that blesses our way.
      "Gospel" means "good news of God's love." There's very good  news, Dear Friends, "out there"  and "in here"--let's take the time to  treasure, and share it.  On Sunday, January 27, when our Holy Boldness task force convenes for an after-church conversation (to which any and all are invited),   I'm going to ask for volunteers to share a few new (to you) stories, so our community can continue to grow in wisdom and  appreciation of how very rich and multifaceted is God's good news story, manifest in each human life.
       I look forward to hearing and telling with you this Sunday and  next, and all our days to come.

Shalom,
Sarah

P.S.:   Speaking of a great story--don't forget that this coming 
Sunday we get to celebrate with Tamara and Nick, as they exchange
marriage vows during worship!   Come and be blessed, and give these beautiful young ones your blessing!