November 2, 2022

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

From Matthew 16:13–19

Pardon me for taking an unexpected break in reflecting on the Creeds for this week as we set our focus on what the LORD has done for us as a particular congregation over the past several years. In reflecting on my own short time here, I have become increasingly convinced of the truth in Jesus statement in italics. It can be easy to walk in the doors of the church and see any number of things: an ideological gathering; a social club; a superstitious ritual…even a ship of fools, but if we’ve learned anything over the past several years we should have a growing awareness of Jesus’ own vitality pumping through the veins of His Church. 

On Sunday we will celebrate the work of God in our midst - and lest we forget, it has not been small. God has been faithful to us throughout all the uncertainties of Covid: the shelter-in-place orders; meeting outside in North Idaho, and even our ability to gather here. In a similar manner, God has provided for us as we went from the uncertainty of Covid to the uncertainty of Pastoral transition. He has brought comfort and encouragement from within the congregation in times of joy, illness, and grief over the loss of loved ones. Our thanksgiving this week is not only a backward glance towards God’s faithfulness in the past - but an opportunity for us to consider his provision for us as a church now, and what that means for us in the future  As we gather this week let us bear in mind the conclusion of Psalm 124: 

“Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”

-Matt Allhands