Note from Pastor Jana November is approaching—or perhaps by the time you read this, it has already arrived. It often feels like a significant month. We begin with Holy Communion and All Saints Day. We remember the saints who taught us what it means to follow Christ. Some of us are still grieving. Yet even in our grief, we hold space for light to enter. We remember with warmth the love they shared and the witness of their lives. We also observe Veterans Day, honoring those who have served our country. Sometimes the remembrances of saints and veterans intersect— because some of our saints were lost in service. And so we give thanks for their courage, their sacrifice, and the freedom we too often take for granted. Then comes Thanksgiving—a time to gather around tables with those we love. We tell stories of holidays past, and we reflect on what we’re truly grateful for. In the midst of all that remembering, we also prepare for the season of Advent, which, if we’re honest, often means Christmas. We pull out the decorations, and with them, the memories—of where each piece came from, who almost dropped it once, or the year we couldn’t find it at all. In all this remembering, the world around us keeps going. We’re still surrounded by hurt. There is still so much in need of healing. The country may not feel like the same place it once did when we look back on past years with fondness or longing. And so we remember Jesus. We remember the words of John’s Gospel: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:5 This is the hope we cling to—not that the darkness is gone, but that the Light remains. We remember the saints who showed us how to live faithfully in hard times. We remember not just so we can look back, but so that we can live forward. They taught us how to live in such a way that others don’t just remember Jesus— they see Jesus alive in the world now. Through us. In Christ, Pastor Jana
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