St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Pastor’s Message – October 2022

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings in the name of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Fall has always been a favorite season for many people in the Northern Hemisphere. They love crisp, cool air, sweatshirts, apples, apple cider, and yes apple cider doughnuts, harvest moons, warming up by a campfire, and the ever-spectacular, ever-new, always stunning display of orange, red, and yellow leaves that burst forth in celebration of the season.

A poignant meme that caught my eye recently featured a background of such leaves and this thought:

“The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go. “Oh my. How true. The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go. “Beauty in paradox. How lovely it is to let the dead things go.

I wonder, what things in your life, my life, might be ready to let go? What things in our journey of faith, as followers of Christ, as individuals, as a church, are in need of letting go?

How often do we resist letting go of what we know and hold so very close, even when it no longer serves us, gives life, or connects us more deeply to our God who dwells within and among us?

Though the language is quite different I wonder too if the deeper truth inside this idea and image of letting dead things go is closely related to, if not the same as, Jesus’ teaching. “If anyone want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” (Mathew 8:34-35)

Autumn, in our hemisphere and region, when so many deciduous trees serve up sumptuous portions of colorful leaves for peeping, raking, and reflecting, is a season for letting go and remembering the power, the gift, the invitation, and even the necessity of letting go.

Get ready my brothers and sisters in Christ, it is Autumn and “The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.”

Thanks be to God.

Pastor Perucy

Coverage Pastor.