The month of June will mark the one year anniversary of my ordination and installation. It seems like it was a few months ago when you all said yes to calling a third pastor to your ministry. Thank you so much! Many things have happened during this first year as an ordained pastor. If you ask me to reflect on this first anniversary, let me tell you that it has been like a roller coaster! And this is life, right? Many of you have also experienced moments of happiness, sadness, difficult times and good times in your lives. I know my experience is not unique to me.

I felt like I was at the top of the mountain on June 25, 2023 at my ordination and installation, but I also felt like I was at the bottom of the mountain a few weeks later when my family and I met at the hospital to say goodbye to my dad. Only a few weeks had passed since my ordination and now I had to perform my father’s funeral here and burial in El Salvador.

I was initially worried that the new part of my position, high school ministry, would be a low for a year or two as the students acclimated to a new pastor in that role. I am happy to share that I was wrong! It has been a fantastic year filled with moments of fun, community service, worship, and Bible study. Our final gathering of the year was a moment of healing for me coming on the heel of another tragedy.

A high moment for me this year when I accompanied Noé to the hospital to celebrate and give thanks to God for taking care of his wife during the birth of their baby, Melanie. Again, I descended to the bottom a couple of hours later when I had to accompany Elizabeth, Noé’s wife, to identify her husband’s body, and accompany her to their house to share the news with the children that their father had passed away.

Brothers and sisters, on this earthly journey we will continue to experience high moments, but situations will also appear in which we will feel that we are at the bottom of the mountain. The apostle Paul in his letter to Romans 8:35 says, “ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome were going through conflictive times between them. Paul, in his desire to achieve peace and unity, wrote these words to them to strengthen and motivate them so that tribulations, danger and anguish would not separate them from the love of God.

God is always with us! As we walk and enjoy the beauty of flowers, forests, beautiful landscapes and family time this summer 2024, let us remember that there is a God who is always near us with his steadfast love when we are on top of the mountain “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17. We also have a God that is with us when feel that we are at the bottom of the valley: “You change my tears into dance; you take away my sadness and surround me with joy.” (Psalm 30:11)

Pastor Edwin