August 2023 Pastor’s Letter

From the Desk of Pastor Melissa

Dear Friends,

When I was a very young woman, I went on a weekend trip to Galena which is located in the northwestern corner of Illinois. What a marvel the rolling hills, bluffs, and valleys were to my eyes! Tiny farms rested in the distance, charming homes were tucked into the hillside, bringing thoughts of JRR Tolkien and shires.

Geologists have named this corner of the USA The Driftless. This land was never covered by ice during the last Ice Age, therefore, it is not covered by the same drift and scouring that the glaciers brought and left behind. This is why the topography is so different from the rest of the Midwest. I often wondered, what it would be like to live in that kind of beauty every day? Would folk get so used to this beauty that one day they would fail to see miracles in God’s creation?

Ten years later, as a student pastor, I was blessed to live in Jo Daviess County. Driving into Dubuque, Iowa for school I never lost my appreciation of the countryside. I never woke up failing to see the wonder of it all. Now twenty-five years later, I still see miracles every time I drive on Highway 20.

The Bible is filled with the story of miracles gifted to people by Jesus. These miracles are beautiful. People are fed and folk are healed. Ordinary people discover how deeply they are loved by God and find within themselves a new way of seeing and responding to the world.

A miracle is not only about the extraordinary. God’s miraculous love is often found in the mundane and normal of our everyday lives. Living in the spirit of the miraculous, people see God in nature, in relationships, in kind acts, and in the power of love.

The gift of miracles is about living in the miraculous reality of God’s creation and love. Those gifted with miracles never doubt the power and presence of God. When we tell of these miracles, we are better able to help others see and believe in God’s awesome power.

We’ll talk again soon,

Pastor Melissa