Visit to Faith in Mt. Pleasant

A happy end of the world to everyone! (or at least end of the Church Year)  Sunday I was at Faith Lutheran in Mt. Pleasant filling in for Pastor Scudder.  During the Bible class hour I had the opportunity to present on St. Silas.  There were at least a couple of ladies in attendance who had heard me speak at the LWML Fall Zone Rally in Muscatine as well.  I conducted the service and preached following Bible class.  The elders were very gracious in inconspicuously directing the idiosyncrasies during the Service of the Sacrament.  Every congregation has them, and elders who know what's going on are a gift from God when a visiting pastor is unfamiliar with the local custom.

Thank you for having me to present and conduct service.  Your congregation was my 20th as I make my way around Iowa District East.  Here's a map of where I've been (click image for a larger size; imagery is a screenshot from Google Earth).  If you only count 19 dots, it's because St. Paul in Williamsburg and Lutheran Interparish School in Williamsburg are so close together that the dots overlap.  Faith is the red dot toward the bottom right corner of the district.  North Liberty is the blue dot just below and to the right of center.

Thank you also to all of you, and especially those involved with the Old Threshers, for your donation to St. Silas.  As I mentioned during Bible class, your contributions to the capital campaign that funds St. Silas are greatly appreciated because that means I don't have to focus on raising money or concern myself with funding.  I'm able to devote myself to being faithful to what God has called me to do, which is what North Liberty needs.  Thank you also for welcoming my wife and daughter.  They're real troopers coming with me all over the district to a different congregation almost every Sunday.

Check back here to stay up to date on things with St. Silas.  Thank you again for having me.

In Christ

Pastor Andrew Richard

St. Silas Lutheran Church
www.stsilaslutheran.org
www.facebook.com/stsilaslutheran
stsilaslutheran@gmail.com

Visit to Immanuel, Grinnell

Last night I was at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grinnell for their Thanksgiving service.  The fifth and sixth graders served three kinds of soup at the meal before service.  During the meal I had an opportunity to present on St. Silas, telling where we're at with things and what we're planning to do next.

Thank you for having me to present and preach and for your support.  Thank you also for your hospitality to my family.  And may I say, you make some fine chili.  If you would like to keep up with things, this blog is the place.  You can subscribe your e-mail address in the top box in the sidebar on the right labeled "Subscribe."  Updates will then be delivered to your inbox.  Alternatively you can check back here often.  Hopefully there will be more to report soon.  Thank you again for having me.

In Christ

Pastor Andrew Richard

St. Silas Lutheran Church
www.stsilaslutheran.org
www.facebook.com/stsilaslutheran
stsilaslutheran@gmail.com

Location Update

Having seen all that's available to us in North Liberty, the time has come to choose a location and work on getting into it.  We are working with an architect who is helping sketch and visualize the interiors of some of the spaces so we know how many square feet we need (or don't need).  The budget for 2013 has been approved and so we know how much money we have to work with.  We met with a realtor who is going to help us put together a Letter of Intent, the first step in negotiating price and build out with an owner.  Within the next couple weeks we will at least know which space we're going for.  Shortly after we will be in conversation with the owner negotiating a lease agreement.

This is where you come in.  We're still on track to launch by February 10th, 2013, the Commemoration of St. Silas.  Things are going to be moving very fast once we're in a space.  We'll need all sorts of help, from donations of materials to manual labor, from artists to electricians.  A list of specific needs will be forthcoming once there's a definite space.  Thanks in advance!

In Christ

Pastor Andrew Richard

St. Silas Lutheran Church
www.stsilaslutheran.org
www.facebook.com/stsilaslutheran
stsilaslutheran@gmail.com