Dear Redeemer Family,

Christ is risen! What a gift it was to celebrate with all of you on Sunday. I can honestly say that our time of worship together has already become one of my all-time favorite memories. After a long Lenten fast, the sheer volume of your voices, the infectious joy of your laughter, and the bright peal of the ringing bells testified to the glory of our Lord’s resurrection. Well done church family! Your faithfulness ministered to my heart. Thank you!

Here’s what’s coming next: In the weeks ahead, we will enter into a new sermon series during Eastertide, called RENEWING OUR VOCATION. Through the six week series, we will explore the following:

Week 1 Renewed Motivation for Our Work Colossians 3:22-24
Week 2 Renewed Conception of Our Work Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15
Week 3 Renewed Ethics for Our Work Proverbs 11:1
Week 4 Renewed Method for Our Work Ephesians 4:28-29
Week 5 Renewed Power for Our Work Ephesians 3:14-21
Week 6 Renewed Authority for Our Work Mark 16:9-20

Now, in order to help us continue to deepen in our understanding and practice of our vocational calling as Christ-followers, I have asked three guests to preach into our series:

Name: The Rev. Robert Cunningham

Date: April 24

Text: Colossians 3:22-24

Title: Renewed Motivation for Our Work

Connection: Robert is a friend who is currently preparing for ordination to the Anglican priesthood in our diocese and will be planting a new parish in Charlottesville later this year. He has spent many years ministering to college students at the University of Virginia, helping them understand and discern their callings. I am confident that he will help us grasp the magnitude of what it means for us to do all of our work as for the Lord.

Name: Kate Harris

Date: May 1

Text: Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15

Title: Renewed Conception of Our Work

Connection: Kate is a good friend, a member of Restoration Anglican in Arlington, VA, and specialist in the area of Biblical Vocation. Kate is the former Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation, & Culture, and has written and taught for Q conference, Denver Institute for Faith & Work, Theological Horizons, Chesterton House, Comment Magazine, Christianity Today, and more. I am confident she will help us expand our conception of our work as Christians.

Name: Bishop John Guernsey

Date: May 22

Text: Ephesians 3:14-21

Title: Renewed Power for Our Work

Connection: Bishop John leads our Diocese, is a pastor to me and all the clergy in our Diocese, and is especially gifted in teaching on the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is always a special occasion when our Bishop visits; and, since he is retiring next year, this one of our last times to have him with us! I am confident that Bishop John will help us deepen our trust in the power of the Spirit working within us and through us.

Church family, I’m looking forward to both preaching and listening and learning along with you in this series over the next six weeks. I hope our imaginations are stirred, our doubts assuaged, and our hearts encouraged as we contemplate what it means to go about our daily work in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the Father’s love,