Pastor's Corner
...musings from Salem's Pastor Kurt Traugott...
Robert Stanger was the President of Lancaster Seminary, the seminary that I attended. After my first year there, he was elected President of the United Church of Christ. On one occasion when he was preaching to the seminary community, I remember him referring to Sunday worship as the weekly miracle that touches all of our lives.
Our time of worship is something I take very seriously, so I found the following article very interesting. The article started off with the question:
"What is worship?". To which the author gave the following responses:
-It is praising God; it is recognizing God's presence in everything about us; it is giving thanks for all God is and does.
-It is admitting that we have not always done our best, that we have been to easily satisfied; it is asking God's forgiveness.
-It is trying to discover what is God's will for us, what God wants to do now; it is seeking to know how we fit into God's plans.
-It is a new starting point; it is a new agreement with God and with ourselves that we are going to try even harder to live up to the best that we know.
Worship is praise and thanksgiving;
worship is confession;
worship is seeking;
worship is rededication.
So, what is worship to each of you? Whatever it is I hope you find some of what you seek as you worship with your family and friends at Salem UCC. See you in worship.
Blessings,
Pastor Kurt+
As an addendum:
I am your called – part time Pastor. I try to keep that in mind. But as your Pastor, I am here for you. I will make pastoral calls, visit you when you are in the hospital, be with you to support you in joyful times and sad. If you are shut-in or in a
Nursing home I will bring you Holy Communion. But, I need to know from you if you what want from me. Please be in touch (454-5973) if any of the above touches your life.