Christ Our Hope Lutheran Church

P. O. Box 961690
Riverdale, Georgia 30296
(770) 997-7117                                   (770) 997-3312

Jeffrey M. Halenza, Pastor

September 22, 2021

Dear Members, Visitors, and Friends of the Congregation,

          This Sunday, September 26, at 10:00 AM there will be a special service of worship celebrating the 50th Anniversary of my ordination. I feel odd promoting a gathering honoring myself but, hey, I write these emails and so what am I to do? And anyway, it’s worth sounding a bit self-serving because it would be so good to have you there and be able to thank you in person for allowing me to serve here for 46 years out of the 50 years I have been a pastor. Bishop Strickland of our Southeastern Synod will be present along with other guests. Coffee and pastries will be served outdoors following the service to give us a chance to visit with one another.

          Also, please be aware that on Saturday, October 9, at 11:00 AM we will have a Parking Lot Communion Service. This is a very safe way to gather and we hope you will join with us.

          The attached prayer, which I will pray during our ZOOM worship time tonight, September 22 at 7:00 PM, actually came about from a phrase a member of the Church Council used at the end of a brief conversation we had about a couple of matters. I wrapped up by saying, “Well, that’s about it”, and he said, “What, no ‘yes, but’?” and then he laughed. And I laughed too because I realized that’s what I usually do when toward the end of our conversations: say, “Ah yes, but…” which means what we decided might not be decided after all and so back and forth we go. It was the phrase “yes, but” that brought together a lot of things I had been thinking about and feeling and led to this prayer. I hope it might lead to a prayer of your own or even be a prayer you can pray yourself.

          May we say yes to God’s yes to us and live with certainty in our very uncertain world,

Pastor Halenza

JMH/nvn