Dear Friends in Christ,
With so much up in the air about when in-person worship may be allowed again, it’s hard to know what everybody is doing even though I have called many of you. I would like you to help by providing a brief paragraph about what is filling your days at home. The stories can be what you have binged on TV, games or puzzles you have done, or how many closets you have cleaned. You can also let us know how you were helped during the last several weeks, or how you have helped others, or any other stories you would like with share with the Saints United Lutheran Church community. You can email your stories to the church office (Office@SaintsUnitedLutheranChurch.org) or mail them to 3200 Ryan Ave. Phila PA 19136.
“How I long to see you.” St. Paul wrote in one of his letters. Whenever I read these expressions I thought they were “nice” sentiments. He really liked and missed his people. How cute and adorable. As you know, St. Paul spent huge chunks of time away from his church community he had founded, sometimes traveling, sometimes writing from prison in a world that wasn’t terribly open to the Gospel message. And so he wrote to his church community in Phillipians: “God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Jesus Christ.” And he wrote to his disciple Timothy, the recipient of two of his pastoral letters, “I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.” (2 Timothy 1:3-4)
It’s funny how you come across these passages and you think you know what they are about, until one day you realize there is more to it. “How I long to see you.” It has fast become a commonly shared craving among us all, a longing for the normalcy of human interaction, for the irreplaceable eye contact and the thousand or so things we communicate via body language, and so much more.
Now I (hopefully you do too) really know how St. Paul felt. And I feel the same way as Paul and I am sure you miss our church community and people in general. My thoughts and prayers are with you all!
Pastor Bob
P.S. Thank you for continuing to remember Saints United in your offerings. Church council has made the decision to keep on all of the church staff and our fixed expenses continue during the current situation, so your financial support is vital to our church community. Please continue to mail your offerings to the church office at the address above. We appreciate your ongoing support of Saints United.
