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Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now. (John 2:10)

Friends,

This week we hear from John about the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11), where Jesus performs His first miracle, turning water into wine. At its heart, this story is about transformation, abundance, and God’s ability to work through ordinary people, just like you and me, to bring about extraordinary results. Something I’ve been thinking allot about this week is all the gifts and abilities we share together at St. Francis. Gifts and abilities which help us reflect the glory of God in the world. Gifts and abilities which are interdependent for success.

What stands out for me in this story is how the miracle unfolds through collaboration. Mary’s awareness, the servants’ obedience, and Jesus’ divine power all play a part. The servants—though nameless and likely unnoticed by the guests—have a vital role. They fill the jars with water, an act of trust and diligence, even when the outcome is unclear. Through their simple act of obedience, Jesus brings forth abundance, blessing everyone at the feast.

Here at St. Francis, we are part of a community which gathers to worship, serve, and grow together. Just as the body of Christ has many parts, so too does our church. A body with many parts, each of which is important to the functioning of the whole. Each of us brings something to the table: a talent, a skill, a willingness to serve, or simply a listening ear. Perhaps you are gifted in hospitality, like those who host coffee hour or welcome newcomers. Maybe your gifts lie in music, administration, teaching, or caregiving. Even the seemingly small acts—making a phone call to someone who is lonely or offering a smile to someone new—can be used by God in profound ways.

So I wonder, what would you consider to be your gifts and abilities, and  how might these gifts be calling you to offer them in the work of deepening our community together in 2025?  

Come Sunday to find our more!

Alex+