Sept. 15, 2025

Beloved of God,

What a gift it was to be together this weekend. In my sermon on Luke 15:1–10 – the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin – we leaned into the truth that God searches for us. Not just the “good ones,” not just the folks who manage to keep their lives tidy and respectable, but all of us. God searches for us no matter who we are or how lost we’ve become.

And that’s the thing we sometimes forget: this radical grace isn’t selective. It’s not just for people we like, or people who vote the way we do, or people who never cause trouble. Even people whose words and actions we rightly condemn as divisive, dehumanizing, and contrary to how Jesus would have us live and love, are not beyond God’s mercy. God doesn’t stop searching, even for them. Which means that when someone truly returns to God, no matter how far they’ve wandered, heaven throws a party. That’s not always comfortable news, but it’s Good News.

Speaking of parties – what a joy the Tent Sale was this weekend! It was a true St. Mary’s moment: laughter, generosity, hard work, and neighbors stopping by for treasures and conversation. I’m so grateful to Helen Malone and Janis Umschlag for their incredible leadership, and to the many, many volunteers who made it all happen – from the heavy lifting to the quiet organizing. Thank you for showing, once again, what community looks like in action.

And one more bit of good news: our new Minister of Music, Mijin Choi, will finally be with us the weekend of October 4th and 5th. I can’t wait for you to meet her and for us to begin making music together in worship.

Faithfully,

Michael J. Horvath, Rector