Dear
Fellow Children of God,
Did
you ever have a special occasion “sneak up” on you? No, I didn’t forget an anniversary, or a
birthday, nor Mother’s Day. However, on Wednesday, May 29, as I was practicing
for worship the following Sunday, I noticed the date on the bulletin: June 2. That date struck a nerve, and then I
remembered. I was ordained as a Lutheran
pastor on June 2, 1979 at First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL. First Lutheran, happily, is where I am currently
serving as vacancy pastor until they receive a new pastor. Imagine, to be serving God’s people 45 years
later in the church where I was nurtured in my faith in Jesus and then ordained!
That’s worth remembering!
So,
as I was practicing for Sunday worship, and then remembered my ordination, I
mentioned the occasion to our Music Director, Stephanie Smith, and a then little
later to our Administrative Assistant, Leeann Lee. I think what really surprised me was that
number, 45. I can actually remember
events surrounding my ordination like it was yesterday. I remember the presence of immediate family
and extended family. I remember that my
dad was one of the elders who gave blessings to the new pastor, to me. I remember Kathy placing the stole around my
neck, a stole which she had sewn and embroidered herself. My pastor, Bob Besaski, conducted the
ordination ceremony. A beloved mentor,
Pastor Paul Albers, preached the sermon: G.R.A.C.E. – GOD Really Accomplishes
Completely Everything. I remember some beer at the after-party, and a fishing
trip. So, since I remember all these
thing so well, HOW could that be 45 years ago??
On
Wednesday night when I returned home I reminded Kathy of the approaching anniversary. We realized again how blessed we have
been. And, that is what I shared with the
people of First Lutheran on Sunday. You
see, after they got wind of the upcoming anniversary, they planned a
surprise. Head elder, Jack Halabrin, revealed
the anniversary of my ordination to the congregation during announcements in
worship. First Lutheran gave me some
very nice gifts. And, they held a party
and reception afterwards. We had lunch,
punch, and cake. It was another very
nice surprise.
As
Jack made his announcement about the anniversary during the service, I told the
congregation what Kathy and I had discussed.
In retrospect, my reaction to 45 years of ministry is . . . THANKFULNESS! Serving my Lord Jesus, and serving His people
is such a privilege. I get to share God
and His word with people during times of joy and of struggle. I am not Jesus. But God allows me to share the grace and presence
and love of Jesus with others in those personal moments of life. I am blessed and I am THANKFUL for this
privilege.
The
events of the past week reminded me of our Lord’s call to thankfulness. I did tell the folks of First Lutheran that
my response to the anniversary is one of THANKS! In Colossians 3:17, God’s encourages His people,
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.” (See also Ephesians
5:20) Our lives are so full of so many
blessings we can take them for granted. In
Jesus, through His death and resurrection, our Lord gives us these blessings
eternally. In Jesus, we have God’s
blessings today. Yet, in my experience
the love and blessings of God can sneak up on you, like the anniversary of my
ordination did. We can miss them. Because we can forget His love, God calls us
to do everything in Jesus’ name, trusting His love. We give thanks in everything, because of God’s
blessings are constant.
I
confess that in a way I also feel a little guilty. Kathy and I have indeed been
blessed in so many ways. Yet, I know
many others for whom life has been very difficult, to say the least. Yet, even in the trials of life, God is present. During the exile of Israel in Babylon, God
inspired Jeremiah to write, “18 . . . My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD." 19
Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! 20
My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. 21 But
this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast
love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:18-23) The hope and faith of Israel could have perished
in their trials. But, God was there then,
He is here today, in bad times as well as well as good. He is faithful. There is always reason for thanks!
The anniversary of my ordination snuck up on me. Maybe I had been taking the 45 years of love
and blessings for granted. But, 22
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” THANKS BE TO GOD!
A
Child of God, The Steadfast Love of the Lord Never Ceases – THANKS BE TO GOD!
Pastor
Jonathan
P.S. Here are some pictures from my ordination day,
June 2, 1979. I took most of these from
a collage of pictures hanging on the wall in my parents’ home. When they passed, the pictures came to Kathy
and to me. Elaine Besalski, wife of
Pastor Bob Besalski, brought me a bulletin from the ordination. (click
individual picture to see caption) https://photos.app.goo.gl/gcLzsJFimxiS582RA
P.P.S. NEWS AND MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES AT
First Lutheran Church – Gainesville!
WEDDING
– Katie
Brabham and Keith Barnett were married at First Lutheran on Saturday, June
1. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/RCNkHg86gRqcbPd3A
ORDINATION
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION - Here are some
pictures from the celebration on June 2, 2024 at First Lutheran of the 45th
anniversary of my ordination.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/grKqfhmLtYyn8W2XA
CALL
COMMITTEE NEWS – We
received a list of names from the FL-GA District Office on Friday, May 17. We have called all those on the list to see
who is actually available for a call. Now we begin the process of asking God’s
guidance as to whom He is calling to be pastor at First Lutheran. The call committee will meet on Thursday
evening, May 30. Please keep the process
in prayer.
FIRST
LUTHERAN HAS BEGUN A ROOF FUND. In an announcement at the May 19 Voters’
Meeting we learned that to put a new room on the sanctuary, the office
building, the fellowship hall, and the student housing will cost about
$200,000.00 We are at a point if we need
to act before the roofs fail. Please
consider how God may lead you toward this need in the future.
MUSIC
DIRECTOR, STEPHANIE SMITH IS STARTING GUITAR CLASSES. We found a number of guitars when the church
was cleaned for the fire inspection. We
will use these guitars for the class. If
you are interested, please contact Stephanie.
WE
CONTINUE TO STUDY THE BOOK OF ACTS on Sunday mornings at 8:45 a.m. in the
Besalski Fellowship Hall. We are studying Acts chapter 16, and consider
mission work in pagan Philippi. Come and
join us in studying about the history of the early Christian Church!
WE
CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN 2024 and 2025 using the Today’s
Light Devotional Bible. Last week we
read about Ruth. This week we are
learning about Samuel.
Feel free to contact Pastor Rockey if you
have any questions at 907-841-4066, or at jonrock53@mtaonline.net
VBS
TAKES PLACE AT FIRST LUTHERAN JULY 22-26! Please remember these dates and invite
children, grandchildren, neighbors, and friends!
P.P.S.
PICTURES – AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
I DID GO FISHING TWICE THIS PAST
WEEK.
· On Thursday, May 30, I fished in Orange Lake. It was hot, and I only had one or two decent
bites and not bass. I did catch one
Florida gar. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/kzEKiWJejzWXtwTx8
· On Sunday, after Bible Class, Worship, an Ordination
Anniversary Party, and an Elders’ meeting, I went home and had a short nap. BUT, then I went fishing. I caught 7 bass and kept 4. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/SyosfrV1grVFJkDE6
*******
ABOUT
THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as full-time
senior pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, AK. I was writing a
weekly devotion previously entitled, "Thoughts from the
Pastor." When I retired many asked me to continue writing these
devotions. So I have continued writing. However, with life's
changes I now call this weekly devotion "Journeys Through Life as a Child
of God." Since I am no longer senior pastor at St. John, I felt it
right to only send this message to those who asked to receive it.
(Currently I am serving as Vacancy Pastor for First Lutheran Church in
Gainesville, FL.)
So, if you stopped receiving these devotions and wondered why, now you
understand. And, if you are now receiving these devotions and do not wish
to receive them, please let me know, and I’ll gladly remove your name from my
distribution list. My e-mail address is jonrock53@mtaonline.net.
My prayer is that these devotions help each of you in your daily walk with our
Lord, Jesus.
*******
Jonathan
Rockey
Child
of God
Husband,
Father, Son, Grandfather
Vacancy
Pastor, First Lutheran Church, Gainesville, FL
Pastor
Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church, Palmer, AK
How
great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called
children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 a)
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