From your interim pastor

Dear Friends,

            I have been your intentional interim pastor a little over a month now and I’ve closed the office four times, I think.  I wondered about the travel between our home in North Durham and the office in Raleigh, but it never occurred to me that we would have to close the office so often.  I mean, Ken and I moved down here for milder winters.  We are still waiting.

            In many ways, the season of Lent is about waiting, much like Advent.  During Advent, we are waiting for the coming of the Christ Child.  During Lent we wait and walk with Jesus as he makes his way to the cross and resurrection.  These are stories that many of us are already familiar with.  There are times, however, that I wish I could hear them for the first time.

            I grew up hearing these stories.  I can tell you the stories without picking up the Bible, but then I realize that I am probably missing some important truths by not reading them with new eyes.  I’m going to change that by reading the Gospel of Mark this Lenten season.  Maybe you will join me.

            This Sunday our scripture texts are Exodus 20:1-17 and Mark 12:28-34.  Won’t you prepare for worship by reading these passages?  Perhaps you’d like to back up and even start at the beginning as I am doing.  This time I’m going to read from “The Message,” a paraphrased version by Eugene Peterson.*

            Hopefully I will see you in church on Sunday and we can laugh about all of this snow and ice that will be melted by then.  Okay, maybe it won’t be gone, but I can hope.  As a follower of Jesus, it is part of my DNA.

Prayers for the journey,

Pastor Peg

*You can read from "The Message" and other versions on www.biblegateway.com.