October 2017

A Word from the Pastor:

Micah didn’t take off his new shoes last night. He wore them to bed. In a reversal of Moses’ encounter with the holy -- “take off his shoes, for you are on holy ground,” --- Micah needed to keep his shoes on and keep them close. These were no ordinary shoes. They were holy, a gift that empowers six-year-old boys to run faster and jump higher.

The emphasis is on gift, holding close that which we cherish. “Did you do that when you were a little boy?” my wife asked. “Actually,” I confessed, “when I was eighteen I slept with my new ball glove (a custom Wilson A-2000) when I moved into the dorm.” But, that’s what we do with gifts; we cherish and hold them close.

We have received an incredible gift in Zion. It is the gift of grace. This is the gift we cherish and hold close. In fact, we claim the Spirit is speaking grace to us in a new way, calling us into a new vision for mission: Connecting through Grace. Grace flows through us from the heart of God.

Yes, grace is the gift we cherish and hold close to our hearts. In these com-ing weeks, we will move into the heart of grace, listening deeply to Jesus, who calls us to consider our stewardship of life: “Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also” (Matthew 6).

Treasure. Heart. Gift. Grace. Connecting through Grace. During our steward-ship appeal, hold these images close to your heart. Pray for our congrega-tion and the ways we connect with one another, with Jesus, and God’s be-loved world. Ask the Spirit’s blessing through your careful reading of A Spir-ituality of Fundraising, by Henri Nouwen.*

We may not run faster, jump higher, or flash the leather of a Wilson A-2000, but we will move into the gracious treasure of life lived with integrity and generosity.

In and through Christ,
Pastor Steve Klemz

*If you did not receive a copy of Henri Nouwen’s book, please contact the church office to receive your copy.

The Herald - October 2017
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