21 days and counting

Now it’s starting to hit me: How can we have a Centennial celebration without Pastor Dick, without such an important person who inspired us in our efforts?! He needed to make it to the Centennial. We needed him to make it to the Centennial. Yet if we’ve learned anything from this pastor, colleague, teacher, and friend, it is that the church belongs to Christ, not to us; it is about all of the people whom God has called together to be this church. When Pastor Dick wrote

The Bethlehem Story, he began the narrative by stating his operating premise:
The approach to this history, our Bethlehem story, is a bit different. An effort is made to focus on the congregation, the developing disciple community, rather than leading personalities. As a result, names are not introduced once we leave behind the founders…A church community has its leaders, as does every community. But as Lutherans we confess that the church community is the creation of the Holy Spirit of God working through the Word and Sacraments. This leads to many ministries over the course of the years. Disciples are inspired and motivated to reach out in various aspects of mission and ministry. People familiar with the story will identify the leaders referred to in particular situations. (p. 2)

Prayer
Eternal God, your love is stronger than death, and your passion more fierce than the grave. We thank you for your servant, Dick, and for his leadership in this congregation in so many ways over so many years. Comfort those who mourn his death, and keep before us your promises of eternal life, until we join the saints of every people and nation gathered before your throne in your ceaseless praise, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.