October 2014 – Pastor’s Corner

 October 7, 2014
Posted by Admin

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Dear Friends and Members of First Lutheran,

There is an excitement in the air this month as FLC’s newly called pastor arrives on Wednesday the fifteenth! It has been more than sixteen months of interim pastorships, giving you time to pray, hope, dream and prepare for the next called pastor. Your hard work and prayers have been answered.

My time with you, short as it was, has been a joyful experience that I can truly write home about. While serving FLC, I made stewardship awareness a theme for September. Expenses for the new pastor and your outreach ministries will rise. I would have you to see this as more of an opportunity than a challenge. It would please God that your right motives and optimistic reliance be in His mighty gifts and miracles. In other words, act and trust in his promises to you!

I have presented to the church council in September the thought of beginning a “wish list” for members who feel the need or wish to purchase important and necessary items that the pastor and staff deem as useful to enable the church’s ministry. I have personally begun the wish list by purchasing a drop-safe to be secured in the church’s financial office. Offerings and important documents can be safely placed for short periods of time before being deposited in the bank.

It has brought to my attention that there are security issues in need of immediate solutions. We are God’s stewards of His church and everything in it. It is everyone’s responsibility to see to this and be a concerned member of God’s House. Everyone’s well being and safety is at stake when it comes to improvements on the church grounds.

The first day of October will begin the “freshening up” of the pastor’s office in preparation of Pastor Ray’s first day arrival on the fifteenth. It will begin with cleaning and repair of the windows, the painting of the walls, the replacement of window shades and the laying of new carpet. The cost of this has been approved by church council action in September. However, improvements do not end this. Since little has been done in office improvements in the last half-century, I want to offer you the opportunity to cover the cost of office furnishing that will endear anyone to come by and visit Pastor Ray. He would love that! Your “wish list” gift will be much appreciated by him and anyone who comes by to see the pastor.

Pastor Ray will preach on the third Sunday of October, and will be installed as your new pastor at three o’clock in the afternoon on the fourth Sunday of October. I urge everyone to be at FLC for this and much more to come in the months and years ahead. God has been good to you and First Lutheran, and may you praise his Name and give Him the glory!

Thanks be to God, and His peace be unto you,

Pastor Art Sortland