Pastor's Column

Wasn’t it jut February? These months spent together as pastor and people at Central have simply sped by. When I arrived, we were still in the Epiphany season (remember?), and since then, we’ve celebrated all of Lent, the entire Easter season, and now have moved through Pentecost, the Holy Trinity, and find ourselves in the season after Pentecost.During these five months together, we’ve shared in some amazing ministry events. Two of them occurred during Sunday morning worship, at the time of the sermon, when we were all surprised by a gentleman and a toddler becoming a part of the proclamation. We’ve received new members and celebrated baptisms, grieved the loss of dear members and the relatives of many. We’ve marveled at the increasing number of persons at worship, and come to expect that twenty children up front for Children’s Word is to be expected.

In the realm of moving toward new, permanent pastoral leadership, every person at Central was given the opportunity to offer input, the transition team morphed that input into a solid Ministry Site Profile, and a Call Committee was elected, has met with the Assistant to the Bishop, and is well underway in its work.

But none of what is listed above is as important as this: week after week, day after day, moment by moment, we have lived in the presence of the Risen Christ. We’ve shared the Gospel story and feasted on Jesus weekly in bread and cup. We have continued the vibrant ministry of outreach to the immediate community through the Sunday suppers, and gifted the larger community through vibrant, generous gifts to Faith Action Network, Lutheran World Relief and World Hunger, Academia Latina, and – this month – Everett Gospel Mission.

It has been such a privilege to serve you in these three transitional months, and to look forward with you to a bright and settled future in the near future for Central. Donna and I will be disappearing for a while, but you will always remain a part of our hearts and lives, and we trust God in providing all good things for you and through you in the days ahead.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Hoffman