July 2014 – A Seminarian’s Letters Home

To the membership of Circle of Faith Parish:

Greetings to you all from back in Trimont! It’s been a lot of fun getting back to work with you all again this summer. I’ve enjoyed visiting with you, and will see more of you during the month of July. As I write this, I’m also getting ready to teach the series of classes on early Christian practices that I have promised you all. So, the rest of this letter just might contain some shameless advertising.

Pr. Anthony and Pr. Eric have written about keeping in touch with church over the summer. There are many different ways we all can do that. During the month of July, for instance, you could come on the 9th and hear about how the meal we call Holy Communion shifted from being a whole banquet, with huge varieties of foods celebrated every Sunday, to what we have today. You could also come on the 23rd and hear about how some Christians have been disconnected from each other for 1,600 years – right down to the point of killing each other, at times – because of disagreements over a few random words. The best part – there will be food, and it’s free! What’s not to love? So, enjoy the long green season of summer, and we will look forward to staying connected in all the ways we can!

Rolling on through those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, let us pray for God’s blessing, using these words:

Merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature. Make us always thankful for your loving prov-idence, and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your good gifts, through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen. [ELW, Stewardship of Creation]

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Your fellow member and pilgrim,

Carl P. Rabbe, M.Div.