February 2026

God changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings; God gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. – Daniel 2:21

Grace and peace to you all! As hard as it is to believe, another year has gone by, one that has seen ups and downs in our community and nation, and we have weathered them as a congregation and part of the Body of Christ.
Our year began with educational opportunities, including two adult forums in the evenings: the discussions on liturgy and our order of service and a new members class following it to help newcomers to the Lutheran way of worship and thinking – and to give a brush-up to those who wanted it! Each was attended by a small, passionate group, and we enjoyed fruitful discussion and exploration of what it means to participate in a distinctly Lutheran style of community.
In February I was blessed to be installed as your pastor and enjoyed the celebration of our new ministry together.
In March we began our Lenten journey, meeting for soup and a time of reflection together. We were blessed to hear the wilderness experiences of four of our members – Chet, Gaylen, Jacob, and Kelly – and I want to thank them again for their willingness to open up to the rest of us and help us realize that when we are honest and open, we are able to grow closer.
In April I traveled to Spirit of the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, AZ for a three-day First Call Accompaniment retreat. This is part of the Synod program to ensure new pastors like myself don’t burn out, offering support and the fellowship of other first-call pastors.
In May our church had a presence at Lutheran Lobby Day, with Faith, Peggy, and myself representing our congregation in meetings with our state lawmakers and their representatives. I thank them for being willing to step into the unfamiliar and act with courage and faith, bringing the values we are taught to their conversations.
In June we had a celebration most congregations never get to experience – 100 years of ministry! The service was a joyful time with visitors from other ELCA congregations in the area and from our sister Episcopal community in Elk Grove. We received greetings from the office of the Bishop, the city council, and from Rep. Doris Matsui, who even entered a resolution in the US House of Representatives congratulating us.
Our summer months were also marked with the joy of our annual fireworks fundraiser and the delight of fellowship it brought about. People sat outside, talking and laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Occasionally it was broken up by a sale, but despite selling fireworks being the expressed purpose, I witnessed something even better taking place and was happy to be a part of it – when I could stand the heat!
In August your Church Council met for its annual retreat and crafted three goals for our congregation: 1) Increase attendance by 12 people before next August; 2) Add an education opportunity each week; and 3) Increase our congregation’s visibility in the local community. The willingness to go through the process to create these goals was heartening, and I am grateful to have a dedicated group of leaders willing to put in the work to ensure our congregation thrives.
October was our Stewardship Month. We had a meeting with the Rev. Vern Holmes, who gave our Finance Board and anyone else who wanted to attend a wonderful, Spirit-led talk about what stewardship really is. This led to a month of talk, discernment, and our Stewardship Drive, during which many of you filled out the Time and Talent forms and Estimate of Giving cards. Thank you for your participation in this process!
We began the new church year in November with the start of Advent and had the first of our Advent soup suppers and Wednesday worship services. These had to take place in Schultz Hall thanks to a lack of heat in the church, but we pressed ahead and enjoyed three weeks of the beautiful Holden Evening Prayer, which I was thrilled to bring to our life here. Christmas Eve was a beautiful, reflective service where I got to see my favorite sight of the year: faces in candlelight, singing and worshiping in joy and reverence.
This does not mean our year was all pleasant, though. We had losses of members in our community, including Gail Weber, Jack Fenske, and Ed Ireton. Their absence is felt among us, and I am glad that this congregation is so caring for each other when these hard times come.
We also had a sharper tragedy that shook us: a shooting on what we consider sacred ground. I thank God that there was no further violence, that the shooter turned himself in, and that the various communities here at St. Luke’s rallied together to support each other. The prayer service held in the courtyard helped set my soul at ease, and I thank you all for your participation in that.
I would be remiss in not addressing tensions over the last year as well. We will not always agree, nor will we always get along, but I am glad that this community continues to be a welcoming place for those with whom we find ourselves in tension. Humanity will never be free of strife, but we need to be committed to caring for each other even in the face of that strife, recognizing that we are all beloved children of God and parts of the Body of Christ.
As a final note, the year did involve a strange oddity: since arriving, I seem to have made St. Luke’s a magnet for stray dogs, and multiple have wandered into our parking lot. Some I was able to help; others were too afraid. Thank you to those who helped me with this unexpected ministry over the past year.

This year was one of excitement, joy, celebration, and discovery. I feel energized for our ongoing ministry and look forward to what the coming year brings.

Blessings,
Pastor Rob Williamson