From Pastor Kristin...

When I was born, the doctor took one look at my hands and told my mom that since I had such long fingers, I would be a great piano player. I often hear and wonder about those words when I look at my hands, because even though my fingers are still long, I am not all that great of a piano player. I am fascinated that at my birth, the doctor thought he saw the unfolding of my life just by looking at my hands.

Our hands identify us as unique individuals through our uniquely formed fingerprints. Our hands comfort children. Write words. Seal a business deal. Say hello. Bestow love. And create pain. They are our most basic connection to the world, yet no two pairs of hands are the same. And each set has its own experience in the world, since no to lives are the same either.

On September 18th, those gathered for worship participated in an Affirmation of Christian Vocation, in which we remembered and affirmed God’s particular call in each of our lives. On that day, we also kicked off our fall theme of “God’s work. Our hands.” No matter your vocation, no matter how you spend your days, God’s call in our lives is most often revealed through the work of our hands – in conjunction with our brains and mouths and other body parts, of course. But, our hands are nearly always involved in anything we do or say.

In October, we will continue to explore the theme “God’s work. Our hands.” in our congregational life at Holy Trinity. Monday evening Bible Study is beginning a study titled “Making Sense of Scripture,” in which we will study and discuss the work of God and God’s people throughout history, as it has been told in the Bible. The new Faith Formation team will continue to discuss how the people of Holy Trinity can seek to grow in our faith and in passing on the Christian faith through faith practices like worship, hospitality, creativity, caring for creation, and others. Children’s Sunday School will be exploring God’s creative handiwork in creation. And on October 30th, Reformation Sunday, we will celebrate God’s word alive, in our hands, in the form of scripture. It is my hope that on Sunday, October 30th, everyone will gather in worship with a Bible in your hands. We will even be giving Bibles to anyone who needs one in their hands.

God is revealed in our world through flesh and bone. Through Jesus’ crucified flesh and bone hands. Through your flesh and bone hands enlivened by the Spirit of God. The God’s work, done in your hands. Our hands really can tell the story of our lives, but each story is different. This month, pay attention to your hands. Take care of your hands. Thank God for your hands. And listen to the unique story God is telling to the world, through the work of your hands. From Luke 24:36-40: While the disciples were talking amongst each other, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

Jesus said to them, “Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.
~Pastor Kristin