Pastor's Corner “World News & Vestry News”

Like many of you, I came into worship last Sunday deeply concerned by the news of violence in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. That’s why my heart latched onto our reading from Psalm 33, and how it reorients our hope away from human solutions and military might toward the LORD whose sovereignty, wisdom, power, and love can do what seems impossible.

I appreciated the words and prayer offered by “The Pour Over” when they reported on this news:

When our news feed fills with violence and chaos, we’re often swept into a spiral of anxieties. But believers have an anchor in Jesus, whose peace pierces the darkness now and will one day shatter it completely. Come to Him in faith.

“Mighty God, You are never caught by surprise or overpowered. By Your overwhelming strength, work peace across the Middle East. Overcome evildoers; comfort those who are mourning; protect the vulnerable; strengthen those who will rebuild; and bring order from chaos so that Iran and its neighbors will taste and see the goodness of the One True King.”

I encourage you to pray the above prayer as well for the other regions of the world on your heart (e.g. Sudan, Ukraine and Russia, Venezuela, Haiti…). Please also pray for our leaders and the members of our military in their various roles in these conflicts.

I also ask you to pray for our Vestry. This weekend is our annual Vestry retreat. We will spend time drawing close to each other and to Jesus, praying, learning, and asking the Spirit to clarify our priorities for 2026 and guide us into the Lord’s plans for accomplishing them.

Among the things we need to discern is whether to fill a vacancy on the Vestry. After recent conversations and prayer, Kevin Robertson, Deb Tomchek (our Senior Warden) and I decided that now is not the time for Kevin to be serving on the Vestry. Kevin has stepped down from completing Jazmyn McGinley’s term. Pray for the Lord to bless Kevin, and for wisdom for the Vestry.

Prayer, of course, continues to be one of the primary spiritual disciplines of Lent. Remember that in addition to your personal times of prayer, there are opportunities to join your Immanuel family in prayer – Morning Prayer Tuesday-Friday from 8:30am-9am in the Nave; Morning Prayer via Zoom on Thursdays from 8am-8:30am; Midday Prayer Tuesday-Friday from 12pm-12:10pm in the Nave; and Compline every Wednesday from 8pm-8:20pm in the nave.

Your Pastor in Christ,