Failure + Pastors & Laypeople

FAILURE

"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie." Psalm 40:4

" . . . as the psalmist can proclaim in all certainty that God is his deliverer from failure, so can we." [Psalms for Lent, Jane Wilke, Creative Communications for the Parish, 2018]

PASTORS & LAITY

"Pastors know that the church is made up of shepherd & sheep. Pastors are to lay down their lives for the sheep as Jesus did. Pastors know that laypeople are spiritual priests, equipped to speak Christ in their contexts, to pray for all & to serve their neighbors. Pastors know that it's impossible for the congregation to exist without the manifold gifts of leadership, business, finance, organization, mercy & love of the people . . . The Synod at every level--congregations, districts, Synod--would quickly dissolve without our faithful laity." [Rev. Matthew Harrison, The Lutheran Witness, Feb. 2019]