…since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. (Romans 3:23-25a)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.

As we celebrate the Reformation each October, we can be tempted into commemorating a historical era. While the ‘Protestant Reformation’ is indeed an era in the history books, reformation cannot be relegated into the past. Reformation is an ongoing movement and work of the Holy Spirit that continues in our lives and in our world.

God did not cease His salvific work. We do not cease being changed by God. We are re-formed regularly. Our faith is re-formed. Our congregations are re-formed. The Holy Spirit continues to influence our lives and our choices – re-forming the people whom God has called and chosen. We pray that we do not remain static – and God’s ongoing Reformation continues in us and among us. We pray that all the world be able to confess with the full confidence of the Holy Spirit … Jesus Christ is Lord!

The grace and peace of God which h surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Carla

…because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.  (Romans 10:9-10)