Bridging the Gap

Dear Saints of Grace:

The Golden Gate Bridge, seen above, is one of the world’s most famous bridges; the George Washington Bridge is the world’s busiest; and Arkadiko Bridge is the world’s oldest, having been built over one thousand years before the birth of Christ by Mycenaean Greeks in Argolis, Greece. According to oldest.com, it’s still in use!

Miriam-Webster defines a bridge as “a time, place or means of connection or transition,” and reminds us that there are bridges in chemistry, dentistry, music and physics. We build bridges in our relationships, noses have bridges, ships have bridges, and now you, people of Grace Lutheran Church – you too have a bridge!

For this liminal time in between the retirement of your beloved Pastor Dan Schwick and the calling of your new pastor, I will serve as your part-time pastoral bridge, preaching and presiding on Sundays and providing pastoral care and some worship planning on Wednesdays. You and your lay leaders are stepping up to care for all the other ministry tasks in this interim time.

I wondered if there might be a biblical verse or scriptural image to start us off. While there are no physical bridges in the Bible, here’s one of the countless verses and images of God bridging sin and death, connecting with God’s people, and promising love and care, especially in uncertain times. God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” [Genesis 9:12-13]

Grace to you, and peace. See you in church on September 7 to begin our bridge time together!

Pastor Robin