Pastoral Musings

October was a busy month in the life of our church. This was particularly true on

Harvest Sunday when we welcomed several new members and celebrated during coffee hour with good food and pumpkin carving. I hope you had the opportunity to decorate a pumpkin and/or enjoy watching our kids and youth exhibit their creativity as they carved both scary and funny faces. It was truly a wonderful way to close out October!

November promises to be just as busy as we enter into our Stewardship Season. As

each of us discerns the ways that we will support the church in the next year with our time, our talent, and our treasure, we will hear from those who have been blessed to be a part of this faith community, including our children. And, I have it on good authority that the Oak Lawn Players will be back as well.

I know that reviewing budgets isn’t exciting work. The numbers look rather cold on the page. Yet each line item represents a piece of the entire body of work that our church engages in during the year. Each line item represents a piece of our outreach to our members and friends, or a piece of our work helping our children grow in the love of Christ, or a piece of our efforts to ensure that our church is safe and comfortable for everyone who enters our doors. When we consider it this way, our budget is truly holy work.

As we look forward to Thanksgiving, I pray that each of us is blessed with the presence of family and friends. I also pray that this season of gratitude may open our hearts to see more of the ways that God’s love blesses us each and every day.

Blessings and Peace,

Pastor Linda