Greetings St. John’s Lutheran Church!

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land… The LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” –Deuteronomy, 34:1, 4

This month, we celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. Five-hundred years ago, on October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther shared with the powerful church authorities and the world why and how he thought the church needed to change.

Celebrating the Reformation gives us an opportunity not only to remember our Lutheran heritage but to do the work that Martin Luther did: to ask ourselves what needs to be changed, improved, and refined in the life of the church. 

Here are 4 reformation opportunities in which we can engage together:

We can rediscover who we are as God’s people:

This past month, we have been journeying with the Israelites through the wilderness as they discover who they are as God’s people now that they are freed from slavery. Who are we as God’s people now that we are freed from our flaws and mistakes through grace?

We can remember how we are blessed by God:
God sends food, water, and instructions to the Israelites to bless their life together. What has God given to us that has been a blessing in our life?

We can reconsider how we are needed by the world:
God calls the Israelites to live a life shaped by God’s teachings, a life of service and care for neighbors and strangers. How are we called to serve and care for the neighbors and strangers we encounter in daily life?

We can re-envision our future, where we are going:
Moses does not live to enter the Promised Land, but God gives Moses a glimpse of the new life that awaits God’s people. What future opportunities for God’s people has God shown to us and how can we lead our congregation and community in the right direction?

I look forward to embracing these opportunities of reformation with you!

In Christ, Pastor Kat