A Note from Pastor Nate

As you probably know, today is a day of celebration here in America that is centered around what is perceived to be an Irish holiday, but in reality, it’s really a celebration of Christianity.

For instance, did you know:

1. That St. Patrick, who was born Maewyn Succat, wasn’t Irish? In fact, he was British, and was a slave in Ireland for six years before escaping and returning to his homeland.
2. That the shamrock was used by St. Patrick as a metaphor for the Trinity? In order to help new Christian converts understand this very important tenet of the Bible, he likened each of the three petals of the shamrock to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, stating that while each petal was separate it was also part of the larger whole, i.e. three in one.
3. That his faith helped him survive his enslavement? Indeed, after being taken during a raid when he was sixteen years old, young Maewyn was forced into being a shepherd before he eventually escaped. After studying religion in France, he eventually returned to preach the Gospel to the Emerald Isle and helped convert thousands of pagans with the help of God.

As you can see, St. Patrick’s Day really is about more than green beer and corned beef. It’s really about one man’s journey that was full of hardship and deep faith in the Word of God. During our Wednesday Lenten Services we’re also talking about another man whose journey was tumultuous, as well, Peter. Just as St. Patrick encountered difficulty in his attempt to understand his role in evangelizing the Celts and Picts, Peter also struggled to fully understand just what it meant to walk with Jesus.

As we’ll see in our midweek series, Peter Learns to Fish, our Apostle was faced with some of the same faith-based challenges we are today. Join us this Wednesday as we hear our special guest preacher Rev. Dennis Borchers expound on the life of Peter as he learns to fish for men and follow Jesus on His way to the Cross.