The Sphere

Paul loves the outdoors. He volunteers at a nature center.

A few years ago, Paul did not feel peaceful at the church he was attending. By chance, he saw the sign for service times at Easter that worked for his schedule. He decided to give Easter a try.

Paul liked that the preacher was a woman. “I liked that her message gave a different perspective,” he said. “There was empathy, which was different than what I was getting from male preachers. Easter Lutheran’s message centers around community engagement, social consciousness, and a commitment to service. Easter truly seemed to embody these principles. It was not superficial.”

Paul and his wife didn’t immediately join Easter. He struggled with changing churches. Paul was very touched that the lead pastor personally reached out to him and acknowledged how difficult it must be to leave his church of many years for a new one. She assured him that she and the congregation would help with the transition if he decided to change, and Paul found this to be so.

During his retirement years, Paul wants his focus to be on growing his relationship with God, the earth, and his community. He continually meets new friends at Easter. Paul attends the ManUp men’s group and is actively involved with the Racial Equity Team (RET) and Community Outreach. He freely gives time to various Easter study groups and volunteers with many of Easter’s church and community events.

Paul believes we are responsible for helping when and where we can. Through his time at Easter, he now has a greater peace of mind. He is excited that new families are coming to Easter! He experiences gratitude for being a part of the Easter people. “Everyone is so willing to give to the sphere of faith through our church and our community partners such as Loaves and Fishes or The Open Door, and our global outreach in Guatemala and Tanzania.”