Hello Faith Friends!
Over the past weeks, we’ve stepped beyond our familiar walls and into the wider community, gathering with neighbors, listening, learning, and opening our hearts to their needs, hopes, and stories. And what a rich and meaningful journey it has been.
We’ve still got two more chances to gather:
• April 2 at VIDAS, where we’ll learn about their vital work with immigrants and underserved communities.
• April 9 at First Congregational UCC on Humboldt Ave, where we’ll celebrate beauty together in a creative and moving way.
As we approach Holy Week, we’ll step even deeper into the story of Christ’s love. On Holy Thursday, we’ll gather at Christ Church on Yulupa Ave at 6:30 pm for a service reflecting on Jesus’ mandate to love one another as he loved us. We’re expecting a large turnout, so please RSVP to make sure there’s room for everyone. You can sign up on the clipboard in the church narthex or use the link in one of my emails. We’ll close RSVPs on Friday, April 11.
At the beginning of Lent, I shared with you Martin Luther’s image of incurvatus in se—the human tendency to turn inward on ourselves. It’s easy to shrink our world into a small place of self-focus or self-preservation, clinging to familiar comforts or old versions of ourselves. But throughout this season, we have worked to stretch beyond self. With curiosity and compassion, we’ve worked to turn outward—listening and leaning into the beauty and struggle of the world around us. We’ve discerned with the Holy Spirit, witnessing God’s presence in surprising places—from our shared Ash Wednesday service to local ministries like The Living Room and Flat Rock Park, where we heard stories of resilience and hope from people whose lives look very different from our own, yet whose needs are very much the same as our own.
And now, as we prepare to step into Easter’s season of renewal and growth, we are called to do so with this same open, discerning posture. Easter isn’t just a celebration of what God has done—it’s an invitation to re-immerse ourselves into what God is still doing. The hard truth is that there is no resurrection without the painful death on the cross. The beautiful truth is that resurrection is real—Jesus showed us that death is not final. It is simply a threshold into God’s larger vision for all of us.
It’s fitting, then, that our Lenten pilgrimage flows directly into the work of our Strategic Planning Committee. Just as we’ve spent Lent opening our hearts to the community around us, the committee is guiding us in opening ourselves to God’s vision for Faith Lutheran. Their work in this phase is focused on discovering and clarifying our mission, vision, and identity—the foundation that will shape our plans, decisions, and ministries moving forward.
And friends, you have a vital role in this renewal process:
• Survey: If you haven’t filled out the strategic planning survey (March 30 – April 13), please take a few minutes to share your voice. Nothing is set in stone—the items in this survey are just ideas and musings for imagination purposes. This is the time to breathe deeply, imagine with God, and sense where the Spirit is moving.
• Listening Session: On April 27, right after worship, we’ll gather for a Community Listening Session. This will be a creative, collaborative time of dreaming and discerning together, guided by our consultant Evan Moilan, and Bishop Mike Rinehart.
The same Spirit that drew us beyond ourselves in Lent is still at work, calling us to stretch, grow, and trust God’s future for us. So, let’s keep turning outward with hope—believing that new life is already breaking in, ready to surprise us with promise, purpose, and joy.
With impending Easter joy and gratitude for all that you are in this world,
– Intern Pr. Sam