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September Newsletter

 The simple but radical work goes on...

Beth and I were able to get away
End of summer camping at Cape Dissapointment
As I sit down to write, my heart is heavy by the news of Charlie Kirk's assassination, another school
shooting (only a few weeks after the last one), remembering 9/11, the continued death toll and suffering of civilian Palestinians in Gaza, and other headlines. Of course we know these are more than headlines, they are real people who are image bearers and victims of violence. In the face of moments like this I often wonder what I should be doing as a local pastor. Do I get on the socials and attempt to give a word of comfort or challenge like other pastors I see? Should I change my plan for Sunday and try to address all that's going on in people's hearts?

What do I do?

When we began sensing a call to church planting again the Lord gave us the name Shalom Anglican. Shalom means peace, flourishing, and a holistic sense of well-being. It has to do with seeing people enter into a peace with God and live out that peace in society in such a way that involves justice, mercy, and wholeness for all. Of course this is accomplished through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1) who is the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6) and the one who has broken down the dividing wall of hostility between us (Ephesians 2:14). So we keep looking to him!

When I think about what I should do after my initial anger, grief, and hopelessness fades I come back to the simple but radical work of planting a church. The truth is that as we exist in our community offering word and sacrament week in and week out we are acting as an outpost of the Kingdom and seeing the Lord bring his shalom to us and through us. 

Please continue to celebrate and pray for us as we seek to plant Shalom Anglican in our troubled times. 

Updates:

  • One of our core members invited a co-worker who has been coming consistently and last week came up for prayer.
  • One of our members decided to make some t-shirts for the church which has acted as a fun community building thing for us. 
  • A couple recently got engaged and I'll be doing their wedding in November!
  • We have a couple who has been coming 6 weeks in a row who are excited about growing in Christ and joining the church.
  • We are having our first confirmation service on 9/28!

Prayer:

  • Please pray for a few new families interested in Shalom. One I met with outside of church and one who visited recently. 
  • Please pray for a woman I met out in the community who saw my collar which began a conversation about her faith journey. Pray for salvation and that she joins Shalom.
  • Pray for our 3rd Catechism class that just started last night. We have 7 folks who have signed up!
For the Shalom of Kitsap,

Fr. Rob 



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