I pray that you put your slippers way under the bed tonight, so that when you wake up in the morning you have to get on your knees to reach them. And while you’re down there, say thank you for grace, thank you for mercy, thank you for understanding, thank you for wisdom, thank you for parents, thank you for love, thank you for kindness, thank you for humility, thank you for peace, thank you for prosperity. Say thank you in advance for what’s already yours. So that’s how I live my life, that’s why – [where I am today]. Say thank you in advance for what is already yours. True desire in the heart for anything good is God’s proof to you sent beforehand to indicate that it’s yours already. True desire in the heart, that itch that you have whatever it is you want to do, that thing that you want to do to help others and to grow and to make money that desire that itch, that’s God’s proof to you, sent beforehand, already to indicate that it’s yours. And anything you want good you can have, so claim it, work hard to get it. When you get it, reach back, pull someone else up, each one teach one. Don’t just aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference. Thank you, Denzel Washington

I remember my first day at St. John’s. Ford invited me to a Youth Group pool party at the home of Chris and Ann Wenk in 2014. The turnout was fabulous, the hospitality was wonderful, and I knew right then that St. John’s was my calling for many years to come. That fall I taught confirmation class and worked with the youth group on Sunday nights. Today, we congratulate these terrific youth that have now graduated High School (and College). I can’t tell you what an honor and privilege it has been to be your pastor these past 4 1/2 years. I know that each of our graduates will do extremely well because they have been touched by the hand of God. I need them to know that God loves them on both good days and bad days .I have shared Denzel Washington’s commencement speech because it speaks the truth that God has cleared a path in our lives and that we can make a difference in this world.  

Last week a mission team from St. John’s traveled to Puerto Rico. My sincere thanks to all the members of St. John’s that supported us during our trip to help people recovering from Hurricane Maria. It was clear from the start of this trip that God was using our team to bring the hope and love of the Lord to some people that really needed it. When we become the hands and the feet of the Lord, we enter deeply into relationship with the Lord. As the Son loves the Father enough to follow his will, we enter into that bond when we follow the path set before us. The result is that the people that we served in Puerto Rico felt the blessing, love, and hope of God through our mission work.

I would also like to thank our Sunday school teachers and parents. We had another fabulous year and we thank you for helping to show that “our children are our treasure” at St. John’s.

My heartfelt thanks to the parents of our graduates, our youth leaders, our missioners, and to this wonderful parish that does God’s work in so many ways. So let us praise and worship our Lord, who died for our sins and calls us to make a difference in the world.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan