A small patch of rhubarb sits behind the parsonage in Goodridge. It was planted when my father, Pastor R. W. Dahlen, moved from International Falls, MN to begin his tenure with the Goodridge Parish in 1987. The rhubarb originated from the Dahlen place in Kindred, North Dakota and had been brought to the Falls by my grandparents for their place and then moved to my childhood home when I was a baby. When I accepted to call to serve as your Pastor, I appreciated the rhubarb in the back yard and the connection to my Dahlen ancestors.
Over the years, these rhubarb plants have afforded us a variety of good things. My great-grandmother Gertrude would make sauce with it. My dad tells me that they would pour cream over it. My grandmother Fern made sauce too but also cakes that she would serve with whipped cream or cool whip. My mother would bake rhubarb pies and crisps. When I cook with rhubarb, I like to add strawberries for sweetness. Even though the rhubarb is the main ingredient, the way each generation treats it is quite different.
Our life of faith is much the same. Though we want to capture some element of a golden age for our churches, the reality is that each generation's journey of faith calls them in different ways. Some of you may recall a time when men and women sat on opposite sides of the sanctuary. Others may remember the first time you heard a woman preach. Still others may reflect on changes to the worship structure and wonder how we got here. As congregations we change bit by bit as we move forward trusting in God's leading.
The main ingredient is the same though. The basics of the faith remain. We hold to one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. We gathering the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We sing some old hymns but also learn new ones. We are called to teach each new generation the story of God's great love and mercy. We hope that we may be faithful in our witness.
We honor those who got us to this place. We wonder what the next generation will do on their journey. May the peace of Christ be with you all.
