Advent Lutheran Church • 16 Telford Avenue • West Lawn, PA 19609 • 610.678.2411

Rev. Mark R. Rigg, Pastor

From The Pastor

Brothers and sisters,

It happened at a committee meeting just last week. We were planning for January and February 2012, and the words just slipped out of my mouth: “Well, last year we…” It’s hard to believe, but I have been at Advent a year. Of course some things we are doing together for the fifth or tenth or hundredth time, but even the annual things are now coming around for the second time.

When Pastor Bennethum came from the Synod Office to meet with the Congregational Council to see how the first year had gone, the words that came up a lot were “energy” and “enthusiasm” and “vision.” All of that excites me a great deal, especially as we move into the season of Epiphany. This season celebrates the light of Christ coming into the world; and as that light grows we pray that our ability to see – our vision – grows as well.

In January and February we focus on the stories in the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark – stories of a Jesus who is not always easy to understand but who draws our attention and keeps us focused on what God is doing in the world.

In January we have our Annual Meeting, and I encourage all members to be present as we seek to be faithful with our time and money. We will elect new members to Council (already several church members have volunteered to stand for election!), and we will ask God to give us a shared hope for the congregation.

And also in January we invite all members to consider joining the Vision Team and help to plan the major goals for the congregation in the coming years. This group will look at the physical plant, at our goals for ministry, and at fundraising plans – truly a significant undertaking in the life of Advent.

2012 promises to be a big year in the life of our congregation, and we ask God to give us vision to live into his future.

Your shepherd and servant,
Pastor Rigg