A THANK YOU AND AN INVITATION

My first day as the Lead Pastor of Holy Trinity was February 1, 2011, fifteen years ago, this past Sunday. My wife, and biggest supporter, bought cake for everyone to share. She made sure everyone knew so we could observe the partnership that is, and has been, pastoral ministry.

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It has been an honor to serve as pastor in this place. I can’t say thank you any more eloquently that Paul did when he wrote to the Philippian congregation:

I thank my God for every remembrance of you, always in every one of my prayers for all of you, praying with joy for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:3-6)

I cherish the support and kindness that we have received from so many of you. I also know that I have not been everyone’s cup of tea, as they say. Together we have done much in the name of the Holy Trinity, our namesake. From establishing values and beliefs that guide us to making a congregation that truly welcomes all people; from growing our outreach ministries, including establishing a food pantry, to capital improvements that have made our building more welcoming and positioned for decades more ministry; from building a strong and stable staff to expanding involvement in small groups and leadership; from offering an outstanding ministry of worship and music to offering faithful ministry during a pandemic, we have worked together to be God’s people in this place. I do not claim credit for any of this because it is the work of the Spirit through all of us that we have done anything of value.

Paul’s thanksgiving to the Philippians also points beyond what has been carried out to the work that is ahead. “(T)he one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Our work together is not finished. We will need to continue being knit together into the body of Christ as we share and support the work God has called us to do.

I want to invite you all to prayerfully consider how God is calling you to continue our work together. Part of that invitation is to ask that you consider participating in our relationship with our mission partners more deeply. Is God calling you to:

• Serve the hungry in our community by serving in our food pantry?
• Work in our garden to grow fresh produce for the food pantry?
• Care for a portion of the beds and gardens around the church so we don’t have to pay for it to be done?
• Volunteer to work at Hope Ministries as we tend the homeless?
• Get connected with the ministries of Mosaic helping those who struggle with intellectual and physical disabilities?
• Tend and nurture our outreach to LGBTQ+ people in our community through Reconciling Works and Ankeny/Des Moines Pride?
• Be at Stephen Minister providing care and a listening presence for members of the congregation?
• Work to establish and build our newest partnership with Women at the Well, a prison ministry for women at Mitchellville Correctional Facility?
• Work with FreeStore to help women and children fleeing abusive relationships.

This is just a partial list of opportunities. We know God is calling us to serve together, to give together, to pray and grow together. How is God calling you?
 
Pax Christi,
Tim Olson- Lead Pastor
 
 
Image by Alexa from Pixabay