Dearly beloved

It has been such a blessing to find out what hymns are your favorites. There are so many great ones and I suspect that it was hard to pick just a few (some of you picked more than a few). I would have a hard time to pick my own. There are some that bring back such memories. One in particular is “Have no fear little flock” (ELW 764) which always brings to mind the first day of exams in seminary. At the start of our worship class we would always sing a hymn and this is the one that was chosen as our professor could see the stress and anxiety on our faces. The singing of the hymn relaxed us, but more importantly, it reminded us of God’s presence with us in the midst of our lives.

This week’s hymn theme is “Renewal” where we are invited to see the ways in which God’s love and grace can strengthen us in our lives of faith. One of these hymns is “Amazing Grace” with the powerful words that offer us hope and restoration in our lives. The life of John Newton, the composer of this hymn, shows the dramatic ways in which God can renew and change our lives.

See you in worship this week

Peace in Christ, Pastor Jen

This week’s hymns

(779) Amazing Grace

(787) On Eagle’s wings

(543) Go, my children, with my blessing