To God’s people at the congregation I will serve His Holy Word and Blessed Sacraments at:
Grace and peace to you! I do not yet know who you are, where you are, what your traditions and customs are, what your fears and anxieties are, the sickness of body and soul that you are enduring. I don’t know anything about you, and yet I feel that I love you.
I have been praying for you. Day and night in my daily prayers, in the middle of the night when I can’t go back to sleep because of the excitement and anticipation of being your pastor. I pray for you often, and it is through this praying that I feel connected to you. Your Father and mine has built a relationship between us in prayer, and I trust that you have been praying for me too.
I pray that I would be a faithful and good shepherd under our Good Shepherd, but I also pray for more “trivial” things. I pray that you would like me. I pray that you will like my dear wife who has played such a huge role in my formation as your soon-to-be pastor. I pray that you would be welcoming to us and that we would grow in mutual love and respect toward each other as we share in the gifts of God-His Word and Sacraments.
There are only 2 weeks left separating us from knowing each other better. I pray that that first meeting would be the beginning of a vibrant life together. There is no greater joy that I have than knowing I will get to serve you saints of God in Christ Jesus.
Until April 25th, I remain your yet unknown candidate for service in the Office of the Holy Ministry. I am praying for you!
The Lord be with you!
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