Fresh Slate

Pastor’s Epistle—September 2025

Well, folks, the “-ber” months are back, heralding the beginning of our academic year, so this time around I thought I’d use my Pastor’s Epistle to hit the highlights of what all we’ve been planning for the autumn.

Letters and syllabi have gone out to our Confirmation Class families. Generally, St Peter’s will hold Confirmation instruction on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 6:00pm, while Nidaros will aim to do so on the second and fourth Wednesdays.

We shall have to tweak our schedule, however, whenever we run into holidays or other calendar conflicts—e.g. in September, November, and December—so please check your syllabus. This year we’re covering the Small Catechism of the Rev’d Dr Martin Luther, a guide to Christian life and education lived out in our homes.

Both parishes will begin a Bible Study on Galatians, arguably the earliest book of the New Testament and a good summation of Pauline theology. St Peter’s will plan to gather on the first Wednesday of the month, Nidaros on the Second, at 7:00pm. We’ll cover roughly one chapter per session, for a total of six, so it would behoove us to read ahead and prepare just a bit before each monthly meeting. Paul typically gives us plenty to talk about.

Pub Theology resumes on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm for St Peter’s, and the fourth Wednesday for Nidaros—though, much like Confirmation Class, we’ll adjust our dates accordingly when we run into holidays and other conflicts. September will be one of those odd months right out of the gate, with St Peter’s raising a pint and a prayer on Wednesday 17 September, and Nidaros doing so the very next night of Thursday 18 September. Our topic for both sessions, by request, will be Christian nationalism. We certainly seem to have plenty of that in the air these days.

And finally, we’ll be offering First Communion instruction, at both St Peter’s and Nidaros, beginning at the end of September. Nidaros will gather after worship on Sundays, and St Peter’s after school on Mondays, beginning 28 September. After four periods of instruction, lasting 20 to 30 minutes each—covering the Exodus, Passover, the Last Supper, and how we celebrate the Eucharist—our youth then will celebrate their First Communion on Reformation Sunday, 26 October.

That, in brief, is our educational slate. I’m available to address any questions or clarifications, and I’ll do my best to keep our congregational calendars up to date with all of our various classes and worship services.

Two notes on special worship services in September: first up, Nidaros plans to have a Harvest Home bonfire at 6:00pm on Sunday 21 September. Come sing and singe some s’mores! The following week, I plan to transfer Michaelmas, the Feast of St Michael and All Angels, from Monday 29 September to Sunday 28 September—this for no other reason than that I love the holiday and hope to celebrate it with as many people as possible.

In Jesus. Amen.