“For freedom Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5:1
Dear People of St. David’s,
I pray that you and yours are well and that you have had ample opportunities to rest, re-create, travel, and enjoy the beauty of summer. It’s been a wonderful summer for me, with some time away with Amy, our family and friends. Our gardens have been stunning and I’ve had the greatest tomato crop of my life. We found out that we’re going to be grandparents in November, so this has been a memorable time. I hope it’s been memorable for you as well.
Over the course of this past year, we have been focusing as a community on the theme of Faith Matters. We’ve been talking about and pondering what faith means. We’ve attended classes in person and online about what the Christian faith entails, that is, what we believe and how we are called to live our lives in a way that reflects Christian teaching and values. Perhaps most importantly, we’ve been paying attention to living our lives as though our faith matters to us and to the world around us.
I’ve enjoyed this year of teaching and preaching about faith matters and if I could have a final word on our theme it would have to be the freedom that comes to our lives when we live as though our faith matters. Too often we live our lives concerned or even afraid of what’s coming next in life. As a result of our fears, we miss out on the wonder and beauty and love that surround us every moment of every day. Living as though our faith matters means that we need not fear or be overly concerned with what’s coming next. Instead, we are free to live in the moment, trusting that the God who created us and saves us has only good in mind for us now and in a time to come.
Oh, life throws us challenges along the way. All of us face struggles that make us question God’s presence and goodness and shake our faith, but they are always momentary. The challenges and struggles strengthen our resolve and can be times when our faith in God is often deepened. The life lived where our faith matters frees us to enjoy the goodness and love of God and of this life God has given us.
So, as we close the year and our focus on Faith Matters, let me invite you to a renewed commitment to live in the freedom that God offers us when we place our trust in God and follow in God’s ways. Take a breath and give your heart over to God every morning and then live by faith.
Grace and Peace,
The Rev. W. Frank Allen
Rector