Text Box: A Note from the Pastor Text Box: Dear Beloved Souls of God, Recently, in our lectionary readings we’ve heard the call story of some pretty important people in scripture: Samuel and Jonah as prophets, Nathaniel, Peter, Andrew, James and John as Jesus’ disciples. Each of these call stories gives us a glimpse into what it means to be “called” by God. At All Souls we affirm that each of us, by virtue of our baptism, have been called and each participate in the priesthood of all believers. So many people tend to forget that they have a roll to play in God’s redeeming work. They’d rather leave that to the “professionals.” But these lessons remind us that God calls each of us to live out the call that was planted within each of us from before birth. God invites us to live into those gifts, those skills, and those joys by using them. Granted not all of us are called to be prophets or apostles and, it is doubtful that any of us are called to be martyrs. But we are called to serve God sacrificially, giving of ourselves in profound ways. When I was living outside Washington, DC, I participated in a workshop entitled “Working from the Heart.” It was geared to help folks find their vocation in life—to discern what kinds of jobs they might be good at and what activities might stir their passion. This is what answering our call is all about. When we live out our calling, our true vocation, we are fulfilling those deep seated desires and dreams that are implanted by God. God seeks to use them for our good and for the good of others. Finding our call takes some effort. We can begin by simply paying attention to those activities that we seem to gravitate toward, that give us energy, and that makes us feel useful and productive. Embracing our calling may require stretching, growing and re-prioritizing our lives. But all of our efforts are worth it because when we do, we feel a sense of “right-ness” and a sense of God’s peace. I find it sad that so many people never find what it is they are called to do. It is as if they are sitting on the sidelines of life—just letting the world pass them by. At All Souls, we try to be intentional about finding something for everyone to do. We don’t want folks to simply sit through worship as if they were a spectator. We want folks to be engaged, to feel that this parish is home—a place that honors, welcomes and celebrates what God is doing in people’s lives. If you want to become involved, if you want to participate in the exciting things God is doing, come check us out. At All Souls all are welcome, and all are encouraged to take part. Blessings! Dewayne+ Text Box: All Souls Ecumenical Church Phone: 610-621-1738; P.O. Box 15020, Reading, PA 19612-5020 Worshipping 1pm Sundays in the Chapel at Calvary UCC, 640 Centre, Ave., Reading, PA 19601 To contact us: Info@allsoulsecumenical.org