A Note from Pastor Marianne

A big ‘thank you’ to all the people who made the 175th anniversary celebration on November 13th such a success! These include our church historians Janet Brice, Virgil Kasper, and Marilyn Hatfield.

Many other churches in Baraboo have come and gone in 175 years. So, why are we still here? As I pondered this question, an answer came me from 1 Kings 8:54-61. We continue to be useful for the purpose set for God’s people so many years ago (the same purpose for which the temple in Jerusalem was built): “so that all the people of the earth may know the Lord is God; there is no other (1 Kings 8:60).” I believe the answer to the question “why are we still here?” is because we are still useful for God’s mission of reaching out to all people. We exist for the sake of the people beyond our walls. It’s amazing how many people from the community use this building: they come to the Neighborly Free Store, there are two Girl Scout troops that meet here, there are the children who come for tutoring through Kids’ Ranch, Men’s Conversation Group members, the Sierra Club will use our building again in January for their annual meeting, the non-members who use the space for weddings and the Pilgrims’ Climate Change Group members, the people from Rotary who come weekly, and a local 4-H group recently had their banquet here.

When we come to weekly worship, we come to praise God and renew our covenant relationship with the Holy One. And we are reminded of what’s most important: helping all people say yes to God – including those who don’t know yet that God is for them too.

I look forward to seeing how God will use us in this mission in new ways in the time ahead.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Marianne Cotter