A Message from Rev. Terry Kukuk:
“God is changeless and yet God initiates change.” This statement was made during the officers’ retreat on January 7. It was both a word of reassurance and a word of challenge.
Here is a picture of the Kukuk-Shepard family:
What does not change is God’s steadfast loving kindness toward us. We can be confident that God’s love and justice, mercy and grace are constant and continuous. It is the very love and justice, mercy and grace of God that initiates and ignites change. God works in us shaping and molding us so that our lives become a reflection of God’s good intentions for us and for the world in which we live.
As Presbyterians we stand in the Reformed tradition of faith which states that the church must always reform its faith and practice so that it is more deeply in accordance with the Word of God. We change, not for the sake of change; we change so that our witness and ministry proclaim God’s concern for the whole world. We change so that the work of our hands, minds and hearts points to the presence and activity of God in the world.
Another way to look at change is to consider it a product of growth. As we learn, we grow. As we grow, we change.
Christians are those who have said yes to following Jesus Christ. In our following we commit ourselves to a life long learning process. This life long learning process is the journey of faith. By faith we trust that God loves us, forgives us, and accepts us. By faith we trust that God will initiate change within us so that we are transformed more and more into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. By faith we trust that God will use us for God’s good purposes.
February 22 is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Throughout the season of Lent our congregation will have several opportunities to engage our changeless God who initiates change in us. Each Wednesday of Lent there will be a worship service in the sanctuary beginning at 7:00 p.m. Each Monday of Lent there will be a Lenten Lunch with Bible study at noon in the fellow-ship hall. Sunday morning worship services will focus on our Lenten journey.
It is my prayer that these opportunities for worship and study will create time and space for each of us to learn and grow and change.
With anticipation for the journey ahead,
Pastor Terry
Ian, Brad, Jadon, and Terry
