November 2019
Falling for God – Rev. Jane Esterline
How we perceive God in our lives determines how we perceive our future. In the 15th century a simple Augustinian monk read the book of Romans and heard scripture tell him that we are loved and saved by faith in God’s grace alone. He was struck anew, as Augustine once was, that the work of Jesus Christ was sufficient for salvation and we could not improve on it, only follow in his footsteps. Martin Luther read on and heard through scripture a renewed call to acknowledge God’s profound grace, embrace it, and return that love to God. I call that falling for God. This, falling for scripture and God, gave Luther a miraculous vision for the future – a vision that touches us to this day.
This Sunday is Reformation Sunday, but every Sunday is a small reformation as we bring ourselves to God’s scripture, in God’s sanctuary, with God’s beloved and feel the touch of the Holy Spirit upon our lives. Every Sunday is an opportunity for falling for God again, and again. How we see God at work in our lives shapes our vision for our future.
For Martin Luther falling for God, again, led him to challenge some practices in his church that he thought did not correspond to scripture’s proclamation about divine grace in salvation, and learning the scriptures. His vision for our future is so much a part of our life at church now that sometimes we forget that falling for God is more than a pattern of practice and researching scripture. It is a relationship with God: prayer, conversation, light hearted banter, crying with God, being new to God, and much more.
As the colors of the trees shout Glory to God in the highest, and the leaves fall through the air in their special dance, may this glorious season draw us to reconsider how our perception of God determines our present and our future.
Do we feel ambiguous about God? If so, we may feel ambiguous about our future. Do we feel fear toward God? If so, we may feel fearful about our future. Do we feel God is irrelevant? Perhaps we sense our future is irrelevant too. These things are linked and changeable, just like the changing leaves so very green a month ago!
Like the leaves, let’s make a change and consider falling for God in a new way this season. Without God’s love as our focus our future may seem frightening.
My focus is on the amazing love of God at work in you, through you, and by you. Let’s fall for God together and grow as God’s disciples in mission, planted by that stream of Living Water. Whether we are seedlings, or deeply rooted, falling for God allow us to grow stronger and stronger in God’s ways.
God bless you! Jane
Van Guard Cleaning Services
Vanguard Cleaning Services is our new cleaning service. Colleen served Plum Creek for many years and her service ended on September 27th. We are very grateful for her service and now welcome Tim from Vanguard Cleaning service who will provide weekly cleaning on both floors, and weekly emptying of our kitchen rubbish into the outside dumpster. Tim will begin working on Thursday evenings so please welcome him if you see him.
Thanksgiving Eve Service – Wednesday November 27, 7:00 pm
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; God’s steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136 repeats the wonderful phrase ‘God’s steadfast love endures forever’ over and over, and over again. When scripture repeats itself, we are meant to listen.
This Thanksgiving please begin your festivities by joining Kerr Presbyterian and Plum Creek, at our church to take a long moment of quiet reflection in the midst of giving thanks to God for all that is and all that will be. Pastor Jane and Pastor KJ will lead the service of thanksgiving. Everyone is welcome.
The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever!
Mission Blanket Sunday
Sunday, November 17, after worship, your mission committee invites you to lunch. 60 fleece blankets are ready to be tied and given to the residents of Ridgewood in Renton. Thank you!
LIVING NATIVITY - DECEMBER 14 AND 15 6:00 PM TO 9:00 PM
Celebrating our 18th annual Living Nativity - a walk to Bethlehem. Preparations are underway as we plan for another 300+ people to attend.