Rochester, MN UCC - Celebration Sunday, September 11

It’s so good to be home!  Thank you all for your prayers and kind words as I travelled to be with family following the death of my grandmother last week.  My grandmother and I didn’t have a lot in common.  She got married at 15, became a grandmother at 33 and rarely worked outside of the house during her life.  I got married at 31, became a mom at 34 and have always had a job.  At her funeral last week those differences could have felt so stark, but I realized that though we made very different choices we both made them as people of faith who tried to do what we thought God wanted us to.  Our faith was and is a profound connection that we shared and I’m so grateful that I can rest in it during this time of grief.

Reflecting on this connection makes me excited for the coming weeks as we come together again after a long summer of travel and adventure.  The faith in Jesus Christ that connects me to my grandmother still, also draws us to other people and opens the door for life altering relationships.  When we come back together in beloved community it is something to celebrate as we dare to live as Christ would have us live and love.  What we can create when are together in the name of Jesus is far more than any of us can do alone, and God counts on it.  My prayer for us this Celebration Sunday is that we would celebrate not only the beginning of Sunday School, but a celebration of the connections our faith brings and the incredible opportunities laid before us to serve together.

Blessings, Pastor Shannon