Dearly beloved,

When you do remember getting your first Bible? Was it for your First Communion? Confirmation? Another time? As a pastor, I have more Bibles than I know – some received as a gift (like my Confirmation), others at various church events (like the pocket ones from youth gatherings), others in seminary and still others as apps on my phone or on websites.

Did your family have a Family Bible? Some of them used to have a place to put your family tree inside the front cover. There is something to be said about these Bibles. More than family history or an heirloom, they exemplify how faith is transmitted from one generation to another – the literal passing on of faith.

We are thankful for all those saints who have gone before us, sharing their faith with countless generations. More than just a book being shared, it has been the ways in which that particular book has been lived out in each time and place.

This coming Sunday, we will be receiving the gift of pew Bibles from St. Paul Lutheran Church (East Longmeadow, MA). This community of faith marked their holy closure last Sunday – All Saints’ Sunday. We give thanks for the ways in which they lived out God’s mission over their 130+ years and how God is calling its people to new ventures.

While this gift seems a bit random – let me explain. Dear good and very long-time friends of my family and former members of the church of my youth have been members of this particular church community. This gift connects across communities of faith and years and enables the passing on of faith to continue. Just as I was blessed by their faith in my youth (and subsequent years), it now makes a connection to Trinity. They – Pam & Dave Fant – will be bringing the Bibles to us this Sunday and joining us in worship. We will give thanks for the ministry of St. Paul’s in our prayers as we receive this gift.

Please plan to join us as we continue to share the gift and blessing of God’s word as we gather in worship this week
Peace & blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jen

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)