I greatly appreciate the Stewardship committee’s invitation to share my stewardship story with you. I grew up attending a vibrant UCC church in SE Wisconsin. My father served as the church’s Christian education director, and so from an early age I saw church life and youth ministry “from the inside.” My dad then went on to become a pastor himself and took his first call at a small rural church in central Pennsylvania. One of his go-to stories that he shared at many opportunities was about how he organized a church service in his home when he was 5 or 6 years old. He had typed up a bulletin, he put on a robe of some sort, and he invited neighbors to attend his service. After welcoming his very small congregation, the first order of business in his service—much to his mother’s surprise--was to pass the plate and collect offerings.

I joined the Belonging and Community committee back in 2022. I don’t recall exactly how it came about, but I think Sarah came home one day and said “hey, you’re going to be on the Belonging and Community committee, ok?” [Ben is Rev. Sarah’s husband.] I came to find out later that access to the bouncy house we owned was a major factor. Apparently, this is a highly sought after item in the world of belonging. My kids have since outgrown it, so the church is now the proud owner.

Reflecting on this year's stewardship theme, "Together, Love Overflows; When we pour out what we have, God pours in more than enough", I thought about what that has meant for me over the years I have been a member at St. Paul's UCC. When I joined this church 23 years ago, I was a recent college graduate and new resident of Minnesota. I wasn't sure what the future would hold and where my faith would fit into adulthood….

On September 14 of this year Monica Joy Holley would have celebrated her 16th birthday. Those who knew her, know she would have wanted a BIG celebration

Given the immense harm caused by those wielding the Bible as a weapon, many now find it difficult to read Scripture as part of their spiritual practice. Though understandable, this response results in the further harm of severing us from one of the most powerful well-springs of Christian faith and life. This two-part series attempts to find a way back into reading the Bible, albeit with fresh eyes. The first session attempts to understand the deeper historical and theological reasons that led to the current crisis: how did the Bible come to seem so dangerous that it became essentially optional in many progressive Christian circles? The second session test drives a new embodied, literary approach to reading the Bible as one possible way to restore the spiritual vitality of Scripture in the wake of religious trauma.

By now we've all heard about the tragedy at Annunciation Catholic School and Parish yesterday morning when an active shooter fired many gunshots into the sanctuary of the church where children were worshipping as they began their first day of school. There are things we know, and so many we don't. I don't need to restate the facts for you, but I do want to lift up a few things, as we all process the secondary trauma of this horrific event. 

As my time as summer pastoral intern comes to a close, I have been reflecting on some of the greatest joys of my time here at SPUCC - and Youth Summer Impact Fridays is pretty high up there. These Fridays have been such a beautiful combination of service and fun, and your brilliant kiddos were the ones who made it so.

A will is a critical component of your estate planning and ensures your property and assets are distributed according to your intentions. It is a clear expression of your wishes that allows you to leave a lasting impact, supporting the people, institutions and causes you care about most.

If you love to sing, there is nothing better than to share that love with your community. Being part of the choir allows you to connect with others who have a passion for choral music, and to offer that gift to listeners seeking to connect with something larger.

Happy PRIDE Month! How you spend your money has a huge, visible impact on your local community.

“We all do better when we all do better." 

For my last moderator message I decided to use the Paul Wellstone quote that says much about what it means to be a community, like St. Paul’s.  

During this period of Eastertide, we have been remembering our ancestors and understanding how we are building on their foundational work in our congregation.  In its 145 year history, St. Paul’s has had periods of growth and stability and also periods that were hard and challenging.  During the last 4 years we have added 100 new members plus many children.  Acts 4 teaches us that we need to strengthen our community, our movement, and make change for the good of the whole – those who are with us today and those who will join us in the future.  What kind of church will we be for them?

St. Paul’s UCC will serve as a CSA (community supported agriculture) drop-site again this year. As with last year, we will be a drop-site for the Hmong American Farm Association (HAFA) CSA. You can learn more about them and sign up at https://www.hmongfarmers.com/csa.