Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Now what do we do? Our Lenten Journey is now over. We traveled to the upper room on Maundy Thursday to ponder “Is It I” (Matthew 26:22) Lord who will betray You. We traveled with our eyes on several crosses until we reached the foot of the cross on Good Friday and heard the words of finality that Jesus spoke with His last breath, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), paying in full the price for our Sin. And we traveled to the empty tomb hearing the words, “He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:6). The final, culminating Day of the Resurrection is over. Now, what do we do?

The month of April reminds us that Easter is more than just one day. We celebrate Easter Resurrection as an “every Sunday” event. This is a time to come together to receive the fruit of the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Every Sunday, we need to be reminded of the forgiveness of sins and the certainty of eternal life with God. Easter is also an “every day” celebration in which we live each day trusting in God through Jesus Christ, knowing that Jesus is “the resurrection and the life”(John 11:25) for us.

With those joys in our hearts, we face the reality of our lives. Knowing Pastor Maconachy and his family are heading off to a new Call is a reminder for us that “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers in His harvest field.” (Luke 10:22)

Surprising though it may seem, we will be in a time for calling a new associate pastor to serve here at Faith Lutheran Church in Naples, Fl. We have been blessed over the past 6 years with his service to the Lord here but now I see the Call process as an opportunity for growth for the congregation. We look to the Lord to work in our hearts to prepare us for His next step.

Therefore, with Easter Joy we take time for listening to the Word of God and seeking His will for our harvest field. It is a time for prayer, so that the Lord’s voice and plans will be the one that counts. We can actively support one another in this process.

Pray for patience, discernment, and clarity in the plans the Lord has established. Plans for Pastor Maconachy and his new congregation at Faith Lutheran, Oakville, MO, plans for Pastors Treglown and Hildebrant here at Faith Lutheran, Naples, FL. This includes our English District Bishop, the Circuit Visitor, the pastors who continue to serve here at Faith, the Executive Board, the Call Committee and the congregational conversations through Bible studies, surveys, interviews, and meetings.

With a pastor leaving, there is some anxiety we naturally feel to fill the void quickly with our own plans. We believe, however, that the Holy Spirit is in this process. He graciously gives Faith the privilege of participating. It is not merely hiring a new worker. The Call process is more about the Lord shaping our congregation in the transition. Thanks be to God Who is always with us, guiding us, through our Journey of Faith.

In Christ,
Pastor Don Treglown