We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
~ Psalm 78:4
I love stories.
I can remember in my childhood my mother reading us stories before putting my sister and I to bed at night. As I got older, and could read on my own, I loved reading science fiction novels. It was fascinating to me to think of life on a spaceship or another planet, far away from earth.
The Bible is full of stories; in fact more than half of the Bible is in story form. Jesus used stories very often in his ministry to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. These stories are called parables. More often than not, when you come to church on Sunday, you will hear a story in the Gospel reading. I very often use stories in my sermons as well.
There is power in telling stories. They can convey so much meaning. Stories surround us from the TV and streaming services we watch, to the movies we see, to every day conversation. Stories don’t have to be long: a joke is really just a very short story (that hopefully is funny).
I have heard some of your stories, and I’m looking forward to hearing more of them. My hope is to meet one-on-one with each and every one of you, either over a meal, or coffee, or tea, at your home, church, or wherever you are most comfortable.
All of your stories combine to tell the bigger story of Christ United Church. And in turn, that story tells an even bigger meta-story that tells of how God is working in and among all us to bring about the kingdom of God here on earth.
Peace and blessings,
Pastor Alex