Can you believe I have been at St. Paul Luthern Church for six months now? In those six months we went through the waiting of Advent to celebrate Christmas, and we walked through the darkness of Lent to celebrate Easter. I appreciate all the help I received getting on board and planning the seasons and worship to help the people of St. Paul hear about the God who loves them.
During these six months I have enjoyed getting to know you and surrounding Door County. I appreciated the suppers and lunches people have invited me to so we can get to know each other better. One of my core beliefs as a pastor is to try to create community and to be a part of it. By being in community, we can support each other when needed by also celebrating successes people have as well.
I would like to share with you a story that happened because of being in the community. I went to a local coffee house I frequent and one of the workers was hoping I would stop in that day. The day before was his birthday and his wife had baked him a cake. He saved me a piece and I sang happy birthday to him. I share this with you to show how sharing God’s love can happen in everyday life. God’s love and forgiveness can happen through normal conversations and creating relationships.
I look forward to not only strengthening the relationships I have made but also to continuing to make new connections. As said before, I want to thank everyone for helping with this transition. As we approach the summer months, I look forward to waiting two or three hours to get in a restaurant and not making any left turns.
In Christ,
Pastor Jon O. Gallatin