Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I have spent some time these past few days pondering The End. My vicarage is drawing to a close. By the time many of you sit down to read this, I will already have moved back to St. Louis for my final year of studies. God willing, a year from now I will receive a call and ordination into the Office of Holy Ministry. After four long years, The End is in sight!
The End brings unknowns. What will it be like? Will it come quickly? Will it be scary? A group of early Christians living in Thessalonica pondered The End of a different sort. They knew Jesus would return at The End, but that brought unknowns. What would it be like? Would it come quickly? Would it be scary? So St. Paul wrote to comfort them:
“We gave thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in
our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and
labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we
know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen you…”
– 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4
In response to anxiousness about The End, St. Paul took time to… thank them! And to thank God for them. So I say the same thing to you: Thank you! Thank you to each and every one of you here at Our Redeemer for your hospitality, your kindness, your willingness to let me be a part of your spiritual life for an entire year. I am better equipped for pastoral ministry now than I was at the beginning of the year, because of you.
And I do not only thank you; I thank God for you. He uses each of us to accomplish His good on earth—and He has chosen you to do much good! Even in a pandemic, even over Zoom calls, even in livestreamed worship services, even when many of you were quarantined for weeks on end, even in all these trials, you continued to do the necessary work of “equipping disciples to make disciples for Jesus.” You have been a blessing to me. I give thanks to God for your witness to His goodness and mercy!
I hope to see you all again next year, and God-willing again after that. But if we should not meet again in this world, I pray you will continue to faithfully trust in God and do His work in the world, that we may all give thanks together at The End.
God’s grace, mercy and peace be with you. Bless your next vicar as you have blessed me!
Your brother in Christ,
Vicar Don Stein