Learning to See: Discovering Where God Is Already at Work

Dear FLC Family,

One of the quiet invitations of the Easter season is learning to see differently.

After the resurrection, the disciples slowly begin to realize that Jesus is not only someone who was with them—he is still alive and active among them. Yet again and again in the Easter stories, they do not recognize him at first. Mary Magdalene mistakes him for the gardener. The disciples on the road to Emmaus walk beside him for miles before their eyes are opened. Even the disciples by the sea do not immediately realize it is the Lord standing on the shore.

The resurrection does not simply change the future. It changes how we look at the present.

Part of the Christian life is learning to notice where God is already at work—in our lives, in our community, and in the world around us. Sometimes we expect God to act in dramatic or obvious ways. But often God is present in quieter places: in acts of kindness, in unexpected moments of hope, in the courage to keep going, in the care we offer one another, and in the work of justice and mercy unfolding in our communities.

The apostle Paul reminds us of this comforting truth:

“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
— Romans 8:28

This does not mean that everything that happens is good. But it does mean that God is always at work, even in places where we might not immediately recognize it.

Throughout this Easter season, we will reflect together on how the resurrection invites us to open our eyes and pay attention. Where do we see signs of new life? Where is hope emerging? Where might Christ already be present, inviting us to join in what God is doing?

Sometimes faith begins not with certainty, but with attention.

As we worship, pray, and serve together in these weeks of Easter, may God give us the grace to notice—to see the quiet ways Christ is alive among us, and to join in the work of love, healing, and hope that God is already doing in the world.

Grace and peace,

Pr. Amy

Turning Our Hearts Toward Lent

Dear Siblings in Christ,

Ash Wednesday arrives on February 18th, marking the beginning of our Lenten journey. This year, we are invited into a season of intentional awareness with our theme: Living in God’s Presence: Learning to Pay Attention.

Too often, we approach Lent as a time to do more—to add spiritual disciplines, to strive harder, to prove our devotion. But this year, we’re being called to something different: to slow down and notice. Our core theological conviction this Lenten season is simple yet profound: God is already present. Prayer is learning to pay attention.

Throughout these forty days, we will discover that God is not distant or absent, waiting for us to find the right formula to reach Him. Instead, God is already near—meeting us in our prayers, speaking through Scripture, showing up in ordinary moments, and even accompanying us through wilderness places. Our work this Lent is not to manufacture God’s presence, but to open our eyes to recognize it.

Each week will guide us deeper into this practice of attentiveness. On Ash Wednesday, we’ll turn from outward appearances to focus our hearts on God. In the weeks that follow, we’ll learn to hear God’s Word amid competing voices, trust what God is doing even before we understand it, notice God in unexpected encounters, and see more clearly as God opens our eyes.

This theme beautifully supports our 2026 Prayer Challenge. As we learn to “pray without ceasing,” we’re discovering that prayer isn’t merely about the words we speak or the time we carve out. Prayer is a posture—a way of living each day awake to God’s gracious presence all around us.

Join us on February 18th as we begin this journey together. May this Lent teach us not to work harder, but to pay closer attention to the God who is already at work in our midst.

May you experience the peace of God’s closeness,

Pastor Amy

Welcome to the 2026 First Lutheran Prayer Challenge!

As we begin a new year together, we are inviting our congregation to take part in a simple and life-giving practice: the 2026 First Lutheran Prayer Challenge.

This prayer challenge is not about adding another task to our already busy lives. Instead, it is an invitation to grow closer in our relationship with God and to become more attentive to the ways God is already at work—in our own lives, in the lives of others, and in the world around us.

At the heart of this challenge is simplicity. We begin with the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, and then use a brief and gentle guide for prayer known as the ACTS model: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. This model helps give shape to our prayers while leaving plenty of room for honesty, silence, and grace.

When we pray, we are never praying alone. Whether we realize it or not, we are joined with millions of Christians around the world, across time and place, who are also turning toward God in prayer. Just as we pray together in worship, our daily prayers during the week join the shared prayer of the Church beyond these walls.

You may find it helpful to pray at the same time each day—perhaps in the morning, during a lunch break, or before bed—so prayer becomes part of your daily rhythm. Some days prayer may feel focused; other days it may feel distracted or brief. That’s okay. Prayer is not about perfection, but about returning—again and again—to the God who promises to be with us.

As Scripture encourages us, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Through this simple practice, we trust that God will draw us deeper into relationship and help us notice the quiet, faithful ways God is at work among us.

We invite you to use the prayer handout included in the newsletter as a companion in your daily prayer life throughout the year. These handouts will also be available at worship.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Amy

A New Year Begins: Welcoming the Church’s New Year and the Gospel of Matthew

As December arrives, many of us think about the end of the calendar year—closing chapters, preparing for Christmas celebrations, and looking toward January 1. But in the life of the Church, our “new year” begins a little earlier, with the First Sunday of Advent.

Advent is more than a countdown to Christmas; it marks the start of a new cycle of Scripture readings known as the Revised Common Lectionary. Each church year focuses primarily on one of the three synoptic gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—rotating every three years. With the first candle of the Advent wreath, we step into Year A, the year of Matthew.

Why the Church Year Starts in Advent

The Church begins its year not with fireworks or resolutions but with a season of hope and expectation. Advent calls us to watch and wait for Christ—both the child born in Bethlehem and the risen Lord who promises to come again. Starting the year in Advent reminds us that Christian life is always lived in anticipation of God’s unfolding future.

Year A: The Gospel of Matthew

This year we journey closely with the Gospel of Matthew. While all four Gospels tell the story of Jesus, each has its own voice and emphasis. Matthew’s Gospel speaks in ways that deeply shape Lutheran preaching and teaching.

Here are a few themes you’ll hear throughout the coming year:

1. Jesus the Teacher

Matthew presents Jesus as a master teacher. Some of Jesus’ most well-known teachings—like the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Great Commission—come from Matthew. This Gospel invites us to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening, learning, and being formed as disciples.

2. God With Us

Matthew begins and ends with a powerful promise:

• At Jesus’ birth: “They shall call him Emmanuel, which means God with us.”
• At Jesus’ resurrection: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

From beginning to end, Matthew shows us a Savior who enters the fullness of human life—God who is truly with us.

3. The Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew frequently uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” to describe God’s reign. This doesn’t refer to “going to heaven someday,” but God’s healing, justice, forgiveness, and mercy breaking into our world right now . We will hear parables and teachings that stretch our imaginations and challenge our priorities.

4. Discipleship—Faith in Action

Matthew cares deeply about how faith is lived. Jesus calls His followers to be peacemakers, to forgive one another, to serve the least among us, and to build their lives on His word. In Matthew’s Gospel, discipleship is not abstract—it shows up in real, everyday actions.

5. Jesus Fulfills God’s Promises

Matthew often connects Jesus to the story of Israel, showing how Jesus fulfills the law and the prophets. This Gospel weaves old and new together, helping us see the continuity of God’s saving work across generations.

Looking Ahead Together

As we enter the Church’s new year and begin our journey through Matthew, I invite you to:

• Attend worship regularly and listen for God’s voice in the Sunday readings.
• Watch for Matthew’s themes—teaching, discipleship, the kingdom of heaven, and God’s presence.
• Let Advent shape you as a season of hopeful waiting, quiet preparation, and renewed faith.

May this new year in the Church draw us closer to Christ—our Emmanuel, the promised One, our teacher, our Savior, and our King. Blessings on your Advent journey and the year to come,

Pastor Amy

Walking Together as People of the Cross

Dear friends in Christ,

In a time that feels heavy with uncertainty, grief, and division, I am especially grateful to
be part of a Lutheran community. Our tradition gives us deep resources—not only to
understand the world around us, but to act with hope, courage, and love in the midst of
trouble. We do not pretend that everything is fine. We do not shy away from pain.
Instead, we face reality honestly and cling to God’s promise of life and grace even when
the world feels broken.

Martin Luther once wrote, “A theologian of the cross calls the thing what it actually is.”
(Heidelberg Disputation, 1518)

A Theologian of the Cross does not look for God only in comfort, success, or strength.
Instead, they look to the places where Christ Himself chose to dwell—among the
hurting, the doubting, the weary, the forgotten, the vulnerable. We do not deny suffering
or try to explain it away. We see the truth of the world’s wounds clearly, and yet we trust
that God is present and already at work there.

This is not pessimism—it is Christian hope rooted in reality. We know that God meets us
in the truth, not in illusions or wishful thinking. The cross reminds us that God enters
suffering and transforms it—not by avoiding it, but by carrying it with us and for us.
Because Christ is with us, we have courage for the days ahead.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran pastor who resisted hatred and oppression in
his own difficult time, wrote:

“The church is the church only when it exists for others.”
—Letters and Papers from Prison

To be Lutheran in this moment is to be grounded in grace, honest about hardship, and
steadfast in caring for our neighbor. We are not a people who give up. We are not a
people who hide. We are a people shaped by the cross—marked by Jesus’ love, mercy,
and commitment to the least and the lost, and relying on the promise of the
Resurrection.

And so, together:
 We bear one another’s burdens.
 We pray and lament together.
 We listen deeply and speak truthfully.

 We show up for our neighbors, especially the vulnerable.
 We trust that God is at work in ways we cannot yet see.

In this season, let us continue to be the church for one another and for the world. Not
through our strength, but through Christ’s. Not by denying the pain of our time, but by
bringing it honestly before God and standing together in hope.

Jesus is with us. The cross stands steady. And love—Christ’s love through us—will not
fail.

In Christ’s peace and courage,

Pastor Amy

Setting the Bar Low for Hope

Dear friends in Christ,

It is no secret that our world feels heavy right now. The news cycles bring stories of violence, political division, disasters, and uncertainty. In our own lives, we carry stress about health, family, finances, and the future. Hope can feel like a tall order. How do we keep believing that things will get better when the evidence around us is so discouraging?

Maybe the answer begins with setting the bar low for hope.

Martin Luther is often remembered for saying, “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” That’s a reminder that hope can take root in even the smallest acts of trust. Gustav Wingren, another Lutheran voice, put it this way: “The Christian life is lived in the hope of God’s coming kingdom, but that hope turns us toward our neighbor here and now.” Hope doesn’t need to be dramatic. It can be as ordinary as a green leaf in springtime—where, as Luther also said, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection.”

The challenge for us is to look for those signs of hope and God’s presence in the smallest and most surprising ways: a kindness we didn’t expect, the sound of laughter in a weary household, the bread and wine of communion shared at Christ’s table.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Lutheran pastor who resisted Hitler, wrote these words while in prison: “The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality, and of hope where others have resigned.” He knew that hope doesn’t deny the struggle. Instead, it lifts our eyes just enough to see that God has the final word, and that word is life.

So let’s set the bar low for hope. Let’s not demand that everything be fixed before we can breathe a little easier. Let’s trust that even the smallest signs of God’s love—bread broken, wine poured, water splashed, prayers whispered—are seeds of hope that point us toward God’s kingdom.

And let’s hold onto the promise so beautifully spoken by Julian of Norwich: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”

In Christ, hope is never out of reach. Even the tiniest flicker is enough.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Amy

The Gift of Intercessory Prayer

One of the blessings of being part of a church family is knowing that we do not carry our burdens alone. Intercessory prayer—the practice of lifting up the needs of others before God—is one of the most powerful ways we share Christ’s love and are bound together by the Spirit, even when apart.

Prayer chains make this gift even more tangible. A prayer chain is a network of members committed to praying when needs arise. Whether it’s for healing, strength in a difficult time, or thanksgiving for a joyful occasion, prayer chains surround people with care and compassion. First Lutheran has a long history of prayer chain participation, and we are excited to renew and strengthen this ministry!

In our ELCA tradition, we believe God hears every prayer—spoken or silent, long or short. Through prayer chains, we embody Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.” Intercessory prayer is a simple but profound way to live out our baptismal calling to “bear one another’s burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

Participating in our First Lutheran Prayer Chain will be easier than ever. We now have a dedicated email address: prayers.FLC@gmail.com, which will be checked regularly. You may also place a written request in the prayer box in the narthex or contact the church office directly. If you would like to join in praying for others, please let us know!

Together, through prayer, we encourage one another, bear each other’s burdens, and trust God’s promise to be near to all who call on God’s name.

Planting Seeds of Faith

Dear Siblings in Christ,

As summer gives way to the promise of fall, we enter a season of reflection and renewal. At First Lutheran, this means the beginning of our annual stewardship campaign at the end of August—a time to consider how we give of ourselves, our resources, and our hearts to God’s mission in the world.

We give in so many ways already.

We give when we show up on Sunday mornings to worship together.

We give when we teach Sunday School, serve on committees, or prepare communion.

We give when we welcome guests, visit the homebound, and pray for one another.

We give through pledges and offerings that support our ministries, care for our building,
and extend Christ’s love beyond our doors through Love Chapel, Hope Food Pantry,
and our own Blessing Boxes.

We give when we gather donations for Undies for Everyone for Sans Souci, ensuring
that both children and adults have new, clean underwear, socks, and shoes for school
or work.

We give when we create beautiful quilts for distribution through Lutheran World Relief to
ensure those in need have the warmth and comfort of a lovingly made quilt.

We give when we host our Scouting America groups, contributing to developing a
generation of children who care for and give back to society.

Each act of generosity—no matter the size—is a seed planted in faith, bearing fruit for
God’s kingdom.

As we look ahead to the next stewardship year, I invite you to prayerfully consider
what new seeds God may be calling you to plant. What do you hope our ministry
can look like in the coming year? Where is the Spirit nudging us to grow? And how
might you—how might we—be part of that?

Giving isn’t only about dollars (though your financial gifts matter deeply). It’s also about
imagination, time, energy, presence, and love. Stewardship is about how we live as
disciples in every part of our lives.

Let us ask God to open our hearts and stretch our vision.

A Stewardship Prayer for Inspiration:

Generous God,

You are the Giver of every good gift. You have filled our lives with grace and our community with abundance. As we begin this stewardship season, awaken our hearts with gratitude.

Stir our imaginations with new possibilities. Inspire us to think outside the box—about how we give, where we serve, and how we can bring Christ to the heart of others in bold and joyful ways.

Give us courage to dream, faith to respond, and love to lead.

In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

Thank you for being a part of this community of faith. Together, we are the stewards of
God’s future at First Lutheran—and may God bless the fruits of our labor together.

In hope and faith,
Pastor Amy

Dear First Lutheran Community,

It has been a true joy, privilege, and blessing for Drew and me to become part of First Lutheran. We’re deeply grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received and look forward to getting to know each of you more in the days ahead. I’m also excited for the journey we’ll share as we build upon the strong foundation already in place and explore new ways to respond together to God’s call.

Spring is in full swing, and summer is coming! In Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary, the Gospel readings during June, July, and August primarily draw from the Gospel of Luke, emphasizing themes such as Jesus’ healing power, teachings on discipleship, and the inclusivity of God’s kingdom.

June:

• Early June: The readings highlight Jesus’ authority over illness and death, showcasing his compassion through miracles like raising the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17).
• Mid to Late June: Focus shifts to the cost and nature of discipleship. Passages include Jesus’ interactions that underscore commitment, such as his responses to potential followers about the sacrifices involved in following him (Luke 9:57-62).

July:

• Early July: Emphasis is on mission and outreach, with Jesus sending out the seventy-two disciples, instructing them on proclaiming the kingdom and demonstrating its nearness through acts of healing (Luke 10:1-11).
• Mid-July: Teachings center on love and service, exemplified by the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which challenges social boundaries and calls for compassionate action (Luke 10:25-37).
• Late July: Themes of prayer and persistence emerge, as seen in Jesus teaching the Lord’s Prayer and encouraging persistent prayer through the Parable of the Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:1-13).

August:

• Early August: Jesus addresses issues of wealth and priorities, warning against greed and emphasizing trust in God’s provision, illustrated by the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21).
• Mid-August: Teachings focus on readiness and faithfulness, urging vigilance and preparedness for the coming of God’s kingdom (Luke 12:32-40).
• Late August: Jesus challenges social norms and highlights humility, as seen in his teachings on choosing places of honor and hosting gatherings that include the marginalized (Luke 14:1, 7-14).

Throughout these months, the Gospel readings in Year C invite reflection on living out one’s faith through compassion, service, and a deep commitment to the values of God’s kingdom.

I’m excited for us to dive into these themes together and figure out how we can take the next faithful steps in living out our faith as a community.

In Christ,

Pastor Amy

Psalms 119:105 tells us “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”.

Grace and peace to the people of God. It is always good to allow the word of God to light our pathway. The bible says the word is good, and indeed He is good.

Well, we have weathered the snow and ice and extremely cold temperatures, and the best is yet to come. It became so cold for me until I was asking people did they have the phone number to call up “summer” (lol). Nevertheless, this is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in them all.

At this time our country is going through some difficult days and some tumultuous times. I admonish you to hear the words of God from 2 Chronicles 7:14,

¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

We desperately need God to heal our land. This nation that was built on the foundation and principles of God has gone astray and forsaken Him. Therefore, those of you that know the words of prayer, PRAY! Matthew chapter 24 tells us of the things to happen before Christ returns. Let us be watchful, prayerful and hopeful for our God to convince the people to change. Change their way of thinking, change their way of living and change their hearts to love one another. We are told in Luke 6:31,

“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” We must treat people (all people) the way we want to be treated and the way we want our family members to be treated.

People of God it is past time to beseech God to turn things around in this country. It seems there is no regard for God or His Word. Men seem to be like in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah and in the days of Noah, just doing whatever they desire in their hearts. This makes me want to cry out to the Lord and say “COME LORD JESUS”. We have the destruction from the fires, the floods, the snow falling in places that never saw snow before, in addition to men, women and children been apprehended without a cause and held as captives. Let us plead for God to show His hand by having Love and compassion toward ALL people. It makes my heart hurt to know people are afraid to go to work and school and even walk the streets for fear of being wrongly detained. So again I admonish you to Pray for the peace in this country and around the world. Now I say unto you;

Numbers 6:24-26
24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

In His Service,

The Reverend Marjorie McDaniel