Letter from Praise & Worship to resTore
On the Second Lord’s day, of the Second Month, In the Year of our Lord, The Second Millennium, The Second Decade, The Second Year
To the Saints in Hollister from Mark, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to shepherd the people of Praise & Worship Lutheran Church, the very Saints who send you to resTore the people of Hollister! Grace to you! Mercy to you! Peace be with you! All of this is from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
I write to you with great joy! Tomorrow is your first gathering on the Lord’s Day! And this occasion is cause for great celebration because it is evidence that Jesus is moving into the neighborhood. He does so with great compassion and great power. And He does so through you all!
I commend to you my brother in arms, the Rev. Dr. Barry Kolb. He is a servant of Jesus, experienced in mission work to people that many others often reject. He will bring you the Word of the Lord and steward His promises and mysteries which are for you. He will help to equip you for battle. He is under strict marching orders to always encourage the Saints to be devoting themselves to the Apostles’ Teaching and to Fellowship, to the Breaking of Bread, and to Prayer. And the Lord will add to your number day by day those who are being saved!
Greet Ed and Deb Wilson and the Saints who gather in their house. They have long wanted to reach out to the neighborhoods around that area and this milestone is an answer to their prayers. Include them and encourage them daily as this transition will bring both challenges and blessings!
Greet Joel Telschow, who brings with him the Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs which help us all to praise God in His sanctuary. Rally around him to help him in this cause both for the people of resTore and Praise & Worship. We need to make more and more joyful noise unto the Lord!
Greet Anthony Hunter, my kinsman in the realm of Knights. Though currently labeled with great affection as, “the tech guy,” he does not yet realize his importance. His heart contains the compassion of a thousand men and this fire within him will cause an empire to fall and a kingdom to rise in its place.
Greet Jeff Mitten, a man trained for battle, who through many experiences and much study now demonstrates to us what it looks like for a layperson to rally us forward into the mission field through action, not just intention. This zeal is there for all of us to spread to one another as we stir up one another unto love and good works!
Many other names are and will continue to be added to this list! May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. The God of peace will soon crush the accuser under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. To Him be all glory forevermore! Amen!