Bethany Lutheran Church - Ishpeming Michigan

Pastor's Reflections

Promoting Religious Tolerance

The month of October was certainly not a good one for the economy of the nation and the world. I don’t pretend to understand it all and while economists disagree to some extent on the causes and on what should be done, everyone agrees that what’s going on isn’t good. All I really know is that I haven’t been opening the statements that come in the mail from Thrivent because I don’t want to see how much value my retirement investments have lost. Like most people, I’ll just ride it out and hope things bounce back eventually because what else can I do? It’s definitely a case of being at the mercy of forces that we can’t control. My wife has long been an advocate of just hiding our money under the mattress and it looks like maybe she was right!

As Christian people of faith though, we are always people of hope. Amid the doom and gloom of the economic news we are reminded that God is in control and that we continue to be blessed. There is always much to be thankful for and during November when we celebrate our national day of Thanksgiving it is good to be mindful of that.

For me, one of the things I am most thankful for is this church. I had lunch a few weeks ago with Jon Magnuson the campus pastor at NMU and in our conversation I said I have no desire to be anywhere else because I’m not going to find any place better than Bethany. I continue to find Bethany to be a group of people who care about each other and about the needs of the wider community. It’s a group that takes their faith seriously, people who have a hunger to deepen their faith and aren’t afraid to think and be challenged. It’s a group that takes worship seriously being nurtured through word and sacrament. It’s a faith community that isn’t just going through the motions but which takes the God revealed in Jesus seriously, accepts the gift of grace that is offered and acts in response to that gift. I give thanks for all of this because it allows me to be the pastor I believe I am called to be, able to focus on the things that I think are most important.

I think that you give thanks for many of the same things and one of the ways we express our thanks is through our stewardship of time, talents and economic resources. Pledge Sunday this year will be on November 9th. Elsewhere in this newsletter is a pledge form that can be filled out and returned. In addition, you have received or will receive a letter and pledge card in the mail. On behalf of our Board of Stewardship I encourage you to prayerfully consider your thanks and appreciation for the mission of this church, to make a pledge and to return your pledge card or form on November 9th (or any other time that is convenient for you).

Your generosity is another thing I have been thankful for in my time here. Whether it has been for the general work of the church, for support of the synod, or for special disaster and hunger appeals, you always come through. Despite difficult economic times I know that you will again come through and support this ministry that we share here at Bethany.

Pastor Geier