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By Pastor Ron Nickel
Happy summer to all the good folks of Saint John’s! Pastor Bestian asked me to write a guest column for the newsletter this month since he and his family were gone for most of July. I thought it was a good opportunity for me to take a few minutes to use Pastor Bestian’s normal column to share a few personal reflections with all of you.
First of all, it’s been almost a year since I began my new job as Pastoral Assistant here at Saint John’s. The time has gone quickly, and it’s been a real joy to rejoin the family of Saint John’s. Mary and I have been overwhelmed by your warmth and kindness in welcoming us back to a church we both love so very much. There are so many dear friends from many years ago and so many wonderful memories of our life together as we joined hands and hearts in ministry and experienced so many blessings. To have the opportunity to rekindle those friendships is a very special gift, and we are deeply grateful for each and every one of you. It has also been a joy to make new friends and get acquainted with many of the other wonderful folks who have joined the church in the past several years.
Secondly, I want to say what a joy it has been to work with Pastor Bestian and other members of the staff. My job is to assist the Senior Pastor with pastoral care, visitations, teaching , and worship . Our congregation is blessed with a talented and dedicated staff, and it’s a privilege for me to be part of this team. In whatever ways I can assist Pastor Bestian, my goal is to enhance and support the overall ministry of Saint John’s and help make what we do here in the name of Christ a service marked by excellence, caring, and competence.
It is also important to say something about the lay leadership of Saint John’s. How fortunate we are to be served by so many dedicated, loving, and gifted servants of ChriSaint I have been impressed by the remarkable willingness of the lay leaders in our congregation to give so much of their time and talent to serve the greater good . But it’s not just the lay leaders who help make Saint John’s a special place. Volunteers at every level contribute in a wide variety of ways to help keep the church’s vision and ministry alive and well.
I want you all to know how grateful I am for the opportunity to serve here at Saint John’s. This church is made up of some of the greatest saints you’ll find anywhere on the face of the earth. Whatever I can contribute to building up the Body of Christ here at Saint John’s I will continue to do willingly and joyfully as God gives me strength and health. Every time I walk into church I am reminded of the words of Psalm 84: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my hearts and my flesh cry out for the living God.” (vv.1-2) It is because we have a living God and a risen Savior that we experience such joy and hope in our lives and in our life together within the church. There will be always be challenges before us, and there will always be occasional disappointments, but the story of the Gospel will always trump human frailty and foibles, for in Christ Jesus we have been borne anew into a living hope. The church is God’s creation, and we are all a part of this miracle of grace.
Thank you again for the wonderful privilege of serving you, and may God continue to bless and prosper the ministry of Saint John’s. It’s great to be here!
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