Dear Friends

Greetings, Beautiful People of God,

I pray this finds you well after the storm of this last week. I heard that some of you lost power for an extended period of time. I was in Glen Ellen, where 10.74 inches of rain transformed the nearly dry Sonoma Creek bed into a white water rafting experience. (I might exaggerate a little….) I also read that Mt. Tam received 16.55 inches of rain within the same 48 hours.

We are coming up to a week later, and the forecast for this coming Sunday is drier, leaning toward rain on Monday. If there are trick-or-treaters this Sunday, they can expect our usual temperate Peninsula weather as they unwittingly ward off evil spirits while seeking gifts of candy. While October 31 is the celebration of Halloween (a many-thousands-years old Celtic celebration to ward off evil spirits when the veil between life and death is thin), it is also the commemoration of Reformation Day. I read in a Newsweek post that Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on October 31 to expose the evils of the Catholic Church at that time, an opportunity because the “Church” would be packed on November 1 to celebrate All Saints Day. This is understood to be the launch of what we call “The Reformation”.

Island United is the embodiment of The Reformation. That is your history and your future. The Reformation is not a static date or place in time.

I invite you and your friends, whether in-person or via the virtual channels, to join us this Sunday as I reflect upon John 8:31-36. Also, please note below the many opportunities Island United has to be present in the larger community.

Let’s continue to be a part of the ongoing Reformation as we seek the Greater Glory of God and the service of God’s people.

In God’s Love,
Rev. Michael Cronin