Greetings,
Saint Paul is good at ending the many letters he wrote to churches, so I flipped open my Bible and read them this week for inspiration. What I found, to my astonishment, is that the word grace appears in every final paragraph of Paul’s letters. “ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you,” he told the church in Corinth. And to the Ephesians, he said, “Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.” To another church, he said, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” And even in the short note, he sent to Titus he concludes, “ grace be with you all.” I could not have said it better than that!
If at any point in your life you are feeling blue, scan through these last words at the end of every epistle. You’ll end up breathing more deeply, standing a little taller, and be reminded that God’s love and acceptance are all around us. This grace is poured out in good times and in bad. Paul’s congregations had fights over polity and procedures. They were challenged by preaching the gospel to an unaccepting culture. And yet, in the end, they believed in God’s grace and offered it to others.
I feel great joy about my time with you this summer! In worship and study and play, you have been gracious toward me as a stranger (and sometimes provocateur) in your midst. I’m thankful that my colleague and friend Rev. Kim trusted me to do this work, and that we both had a sense that the holy spirit was working to make this happen. My husband, Mick, said that this has been his favorite summer, ever! It’s been his first experience as a pastor’s spouse and you have made it wonderful for him. How will we manage the sunrise without a gorgeous view of Richardson Bay? Our thanks overflow toward Winnie and Eike who shared their home with us for two full months.
We soon head back to Oregon with thankful hearts, and we will carry you in our prayers and send you love from up north. Sunday after church, a parishioner told me that what she’d be remembering about my preaching here at Mt. Tamalpais summed up in my sentence, “Jesus always lands on the side of grace.” If this is my legacy, I am well pleased.
As Paul states, repeatedly, “grace be with you all.” And the bible footnote that follows this line says, “ancient authorities add, amen.” Amen, indeed.
Pastor Karen
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