Pastor’s Message

September 2026

The Gospel Comes Near

One of the important moments in our worship each Sunday is the reading of the Gospel. It’s so important that it is the only required reading whenever we celebrate Communion. It may seem simple—just a short passage read aloud—but it carries a deep missional meaning. When the pastor (or deacon) steps among the congregation with God’s Word, we are reminded of something incredible: Jesus humbled himself and came among his people. He did not shout his love from a distance. He came near—walking dusty roads, touching the sick, eating with sinners, and speaking hope to all of creation. 

When the Gospel is read in the middle of the congregation, we are highlighting the fact that Jesus has come near to his creation. We are confessing, “Jesus still comes among us.” His Word is not locked away at the front of the sanctuary. It is carried into the midst of his people, because the good news is always meant to be close, personal, and present. 

This moment also points outward. As the Gospel is proclaimed among us, we are reminded of our calling to go among the people with the story of Jesus’ life. Mission is not only something that happens overseas or in far-off places. Mission begins right where we live—at our workplaces, in our neighborhoods, in our families. Just as the Gospel is carried into the congregation, we are sent out to carry Jesus’s love into the world. We go with the same message: Jesus has come near, and his grace is for all. 

On great feast days and holy celebrations, our Gospel procession grows even larger and more joyful. We lift the Word of God high, we sing, and we move together as a people shaped by the Word. These processions remind us that the Gospel is not only read—it is celebrated, carried with reverence, and sent out with joy. 

May God make us a people who carry his Gospel into every place he sends us. 

Pastor Wes