Summer 2018

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."-Romans 8:35-39


Paul wrote these powerful words to the Church in Rome, a small gathered community, to encourage them in the midst of their struggles with their faith. These words came from one who had been a persecutor of the faithful and also persecuted for his faith-a complex individual who had found a deep and abiding faith in Christ.  Paul had reconciled with God and neighbor, had found redemption in Christ and devoted his life to spreading the message and love to all that would hear. He is a true inspiration. 


The last few months have brought many conversations for me with people who are struggling with their faith. One who has lost hope in the church-having been ignored by his community after years of devoted service and now finding himself searching through some of the toughest faith questions in his life. Another who desperately wants to hear or feel the presence of God, but only finds silence-except in the service of others. Another who sees the lives everyone else is living- and can’t quite measure up in her own mind to her their own worth. Each of these people are asking the same questions Paul once asked himself.


I think living in today’s world of rampant distraction and frantic electronic communication takes us away from the things that really matter. Like Paul, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ-but we are often so caught up in the world we truly just can’t see or feel that love. I’m not sure we can even see each other-or own frail humanity that is longing for connection and purpose. I don’t have the answers to these tough questions-but I have some inkling of how a community might dig through together to find some answers and deepening questions. 


At the corner stone of Paul’s writing is community. Each of his letters is written to a group of people trying to figure our how to be the Kingdom of God- and to live in God’s abiding and deepening love. It is a task we are also called to embody as a community of gathered followers and seekers of Christ. 


In the coming months we shift gears at St. Thomas from summer activity into the fall and winter times. We will be seeking new small group leaders and starting new small groups, offering new formation classes, starting grief groups as well as all of our outreach offerings and other ministries. These exist to encourage and deepen the opportunity to ask questions and explore our faith. I encourage you to dig a little deeper into your faith and make a commitment to being part of some ministry at St. Thomas. Deepen your connection to this amazing group of people- and be willing to show each other the love the Paul talks about. We are all asking these tough questions- lets go a little deeper together! 

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