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Message from Pastor Marty

Q & A time

By Pastor Peter W. Marty

What’s all the hoopla about the new St. Paul website? Well, it’s a tremendous new asset for our ministry. There are websites and then there are websites. Hats off to Mary Miller and Mark Hurty for their tireless work in producing a navigable site that is so much more than a bulletin board which never changes.

Regarding this “no” we’ve said to paper plates for Wednesday-night Lenten suppers — Are we a green church? Hardly, if you mean an ecological pacesetter. Still, every reasonable gesture that signals a little more respect for this beautiful planet is terrific. Don’t ask how enorma-huge our weekly dumpster load of garbage is. I don’t have the heart to share that detail.

Pastor Marty, where is your office? Now and through the summer I’m in “129,” our house on Lombard Street where others from the pastoral team and Tammy Hermanson are also officed. Drop in to visit. One at a time in my study, though. There is only room for one chair.

Any new impressions on the sanctuary construction? Yes, two. First, I wish it was going faster. We are three months behind since the roof didn’t get finished before winter. But, that’s all past tense. Second, it is going to be awesome! I stood in the center of the space last week (with hardhat on) just marveling at the proportions. Worshiping in there will enlarge our whole personality as a church. Count on it. It’ll be a thrill! Sightseeing tour for all is set for May 20.

What happened to Sharon Larson and Judy Lovaas? [These are the two staff people who just stepped down from their posts — children and family life coordinator, and childcare team leader, respectively.] They’re both alive and well. Neither has disappeared. It just so happens that both of them have multiple callings, including an extra-special one named family that they wanted to give fresh attention to. Spread the word about the job postings, if you would.

What do you make of this claim that someone has identified the tomb of Jesus? Not much. Perhaps I’ll comment on that this Sunday in class.

When is the stained glass in our current sanctuary getting removed? Present plans have the artisans beginning that work in early May. Months of restoration and remounting will land this gorgeous glass in our new worship space.

Does Easter ever get old to you? No way. Long ago I discovered that the resurrection did not change the world. It changed the disciples who were supposed to change the world. We are those disciples. Either the miracle of Christ rising from the dead gives a new angle of vision for the way we live our lives more hopefully, and less fearfully. Or, we’re all wasting our time. More on April 8.

I see I’m out of space… but hardly out of love for all of you! Holy Week meaning and Easter joy to you.

Pastor Peter W. Marty,

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