This morning, as I walk through the snow to get yesterday’s mail, I’m making boot prints for my neighbors to trace. Whether I intend to or not, I’m leaving my mark. Each step reminds me that others have gone before me, just as members of your family have gone before you, and as Moses and Elijah went before Jesus on the mountain.
That’s the heart of this Sunday’s message—how God weaves our lives together across time and distance. We’ll remember the saints who came before us and the saints who walk beside us now: the ancestors whose faith steadies us, and the everyday people God uses —sometimes without their even knowing—to carry His love into the world.
Jesus drew courage from the faithful ones who preceded Him, and so can we. Whether it’s a parent who loved us into becoming our true selves, a stranger who shows up at the right moment, or a quiet prompting of the Spirit, God reminds us that none of us walk alone.
Join us this Sunday as we explore how heaven and earth meet in the communion of saints—the unseen fellowship that surrounds us, strengthens us, and marches with us in the light of God.
Having worshiped with you in this congregation since 1988, it’s my privilege to preach this week. Walking in faith beside each of you, I’ve witnessed your relationship with God, your study of God’s Word, and the way you welcome and sustain others. We’ve raised children and buried our parents together, studied Scripture, shared church suppers and danced, and drunk a heck of a lot of coffee. I look forward to seeing you soon.
In love and fellowship,
Jeanne Gehret
Scripture for Sunday: 2 Kings 6:11-17; Matthew 17:1-8
Sermon Title: “Saints Beside Us, Saints Before Us”
