Weekly Letter, 02/23/2023
The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • February 23, 2023

Dear Friends,


We have entered the solemn season of Lent. Many of us give up something and/or take on some practice during this season. We do that not as some labor that earns us favor with God. Instead, these practices are opportunities to remind us to turn to God throughout our day. Giving something up often helps me realize how I use (or misuse) my time. Yes, scripture and tradition teach that fasting is associated with turning from our sins. Indeed the fast is a way to acknowledge that we have missed the mark and a reminder to us to rely on Christ to strengthen us to love with our whole hearts. 


Whatever fast or discipline we take on, may we also pray. If you need something to guide you in prayer, I recommend the Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families on page 136 of The Book of Common Prayer. Taking the time to pray is a way we acknowledge our reliance on God, and that time is not controlling us. I especially ask that you pray for our parish and our ministry. Pray that we may be open to what God is calling us to do and to be. 


As a parish, we bring our prayers together when we gather. We take them to the altar and we are then fed and sent out to love and serve Christ. At the moment we are doing some important work to improve the buildings that support our ministry. Thank you to everyone who has given to this project. Your gift matters. Giving our money is a way of prayer as well. We offer a gift and trust that all of our gifts will be enough to faithfully continue our mission. 


Know that I am praying too. I pray for you and the life of our congregation. I pray for our place in the community. I pray that we all may know the love of Christ and share that love in word and deed. I pray that we all may have a holy Lent. 


Peace, 

Fr. John Mark

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Weekly Letter, 05/15/2025

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Weekly Letter, 05/08/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • May 12, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, This Sunday is Mother's Day and also Good Shepherd Sunday. Both celebrations have been shaped and changed over the years. Good Shepherd Sunday got the name as we do read the passage from John 10 about Jesus the Good Shepherd, and Mother's Day has roots going back to Mothering Sunday in England. The establishment of Mother's Day in the United States was motivated by the recognition of the work of Ann Reeves Jarvis, Julia Ward Howe, and Anna M. Jarvis. These women worked for sanitary health care for soldiers and were advocates for peace during the Civil War. They imagined a union of mothers who would call for peace because mothers knew so deeply the loss of their children to war. Mothering and shepherding call for similar qualities of protection and care.

Weekly Letter, 05/01/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • May 12, 2025
We continue celebrating Easter as we move into a month full of celebrations and transitions. I am looking forward to just hanging out with folks this Saturday night at our spaghetti dinner. You can find details about that in this email. Please mark your calendars for the annual Justice Knox Celebration on May 19 from 6:30 PM- 8:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church. We will have dinner and share stories about the next steps. You will also be asked to consider making an investment in the work of Justice Knox. I hope that you will consider giving to this important ministry.

Weekly Letter, 04/24/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • April 24, 2025
Alleluia. Christ is risen. We celebrated the resurrection with so much joy this past Sunday. The Easter feast continues for 50 days. Thank you to everyone who made Holy Week and Easter Sunday so special. You helped people feel welcomed to this place where we proclaim the welcoming love of Christ in word, deed, song, Easter egg hunts, and something good to eat. We welcome others because we have known the love of Christ and want to share it.

Weekly Letter, 04/17/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • April 17, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, As we journey through Holy Week, I encourage you to pause and consider those events that lead us to the joyful celebration of Easter. May that also be reflected in our lives. We walk through hard things and know that God is with us. We hold to the hope that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Weekly Letter, 04/10/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • April 17, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, As the weather teases us with warm days followed by chilly ones, we enter Holy Week. You have probably heard me encouraging folks to experience the journey to the cross and the grave so we might celebrate the resurrection with that insight. God has shared this human experience and is with us in the darkness and the light. Our liturgies of Holy Week take us on that journey with Jesus and remind us that God is indeed with us on our own journeys.
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