Dear Faithful People of Saint Peter’s Church
Blessings to you as we have begun our journey to the cross and then to the empty tomb that promises victory over death and salvation for the world. This is also a time for preparation and much gratitude in the life our parish community.
We would like to give thanks to God for you and with you, for your spirit-led discernment and vote on Call Sunday, your joyful participation at our Wednesday bilingual mass and reception, and our bittersweet farewell and godspeed to Pastor Stahler as he ends his service among us as associate pastor and goes on sabbatical. While we give thanks to God for you and with you for your participation in these recent events, we must also give thanks for all your continued participation in the past two years in preparation for this time in our community. Our preparation work continues in the coming months as we nominate and look to elect our new parish council, we look to live more deeply into our merged community by reviewing our combined cabinet and committee rosters, and finally work on our first joint budget of our new parish community.
We would like to give thanks to God for and with Pastor Stahler for his service with us as our Associate Pastor, his discernment during the call process, and for the work he has done and will continue to do in preparation to serve as our Senior Pastor. At our February meeting, the Parish Council affirmed the dates and Pastor Stahler’s plan for his previously approved three month sabbatical. Pastor Stahler will be away on sabbatical starting March 1 and returning on May 29th in time for our 40th Memorial Vespers and Pentecost. Pastor Stahler’s sabbatical will give him time to reflect on and bring conclusion to 15 years of ministry at Saint Peter’s as well as time for looking to the future. He will begin to chart his leadership of our strategic planning process: he will visit a number of different churches and ministry sites to study dynamics of collegial ministry, engagement with the general public, ministry in “borderland” contexts, and religious/not-for-profit partnerships.
We would like to give thanks to God for and with Pastor Arias as he continues to guide the former members of Sion, Iglesia Luterana, now members of Saint Peter’s, to full participation through the merger process and now the call process all the while continuing to teach us all how not only our building but also our parish community is called to be a welcoming sanctuary to all. Pastor Arias, with the leaders of the misa community, now work to take the final steps of holy dissolution of Sion, Iglesia Luterana and begin the transfer of assets to Saint Peter’s Church.
We would like to give thanks to God for and with Pastor Derr for his continued service and guidance during this time of transition and as he prepares to complete his call with us as our Senior Pastor. It is no secret that without Pastor Derr’s sustained and capable leadership of our community and with our community, for the past 23 years, we would not be able to discern our future from such a position of abundance. On Saturday, June 27, 2020, Pastor Derr will preside and preach at a mass celebrating the Day of Saint Peter and Saint Paul and conclude our ministry together with him at Saint Peter’s Church and we shall bid each other farewell. The Parish Council will share details following our regular meeting near the end of March of ways we can participate in preparations for that mass and celebration.
As we excitedly prepare for at all that will be, let us take a moment to give thanks for all that has been.
Let us pray,
We thank you, Lord God, for brave and believing pastors who plant your message in this place.
We praise you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, who worked in them to gather and give order to this community, and who still sustain it.
We glorify you, almighty God, for by the power of the Spirit you have knit us your servants into the one body of your Son, Jesus Christ. Look with favor upon us in our commitment to serve in Christ’s name in this place, at this time. Give us courage, patience, and vision; and strengthen us all in our vocation of witness to the world and of service to others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Christ,
Luis Octavio Huete Altamirano, Christopher Vergara
Parish Presidents
