News of St. John's Lutheran Church
Midwest Goodbye: Part One
Here in the Midwest, our goodbyes take quite a while. One should never expect to just up and leave after a visit. For some reason we draw them out and mix in conversation, having to repeat the goodbye multiple times.
This is something Riley (being from Montana) didn’t understand. After our first few in-person dates, I thought she hated me! When the date would end, Riley would simply leave, while I expected the typical hanging around. I was confused why she would keep saying yes to dates. After some time, I felt brave enough to bring it up and explained the abrupt goodbyes were sending me mixed messages. She was totally confused! This Midwest goodbye was unheard of. Of course she didn’t hate me, and she apologized for the cultural misunderstanding, eventually learning to linger from then on. We laugh about it now. I think our goodbyes in the Midwest are drawn out because of our value on relationships (not to say Montanans don’t value them!) and our desire to hold on to those we love. That is why I’m beginning my goodbye in this newsletter. Not because I think I’m important, but because you are! I’ve never left a congregation I’ve served before and there’s much I want to say with limited space each month. Goodbyes and farewells are important yet potentially painful. Whether saying goodbye to a person, pet, job, lifestyle, or whatever else, there are a lot of emotions that need expressing. So this month is simply beginning the process. Next month I will share some of the best lessons I’ve learned while at St. John’s and my greatest joys, and in August I’ll offer some final words of wisdom for the exciting future you have in front of you! Always keeping in mind that God is most certainly at work in and through St. John’s, and it's our job to join in with God and spread the Good News. Whether St. John’s has a pastor or not, we are called to serve those in need, and proclaim that God loves all people. Peace! Vicar Anthony Church Office Hours
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 3pm.
The church office is CLOSED on Fridays and this is also Vicar Anthony’s day off. In case of an emergency, you can reach Vicar Anthony at (414) 364-9504. |
Join us for worship on YouTube!
Simply click on the button above to go to our YouTube page. Once there, you can watch any of our worship services (just double-check the date).
Online Giving to St. John's
|
