Dear Friends and Members of Shepherd of the Hills,

It is an awesome feeling.  After hiking all day, there it is, the summit.  Once you get there, the views are spectacular.  On a good clear day you can see for miles and miles.  

We are reaching a summit this weekend.  It is the time that Peter, James and John witness our Lord, Jesus Christ, in all his glory.  The view is so spectacular, it is frightening.  Yet, it is Jesus who has the most spectacular view.  

You see, from this summit he can see the cross, the very reason he came into our flesh.  From this summit he is ready to descend into that time and space that is his passion week, and he headed there for you.  

February 14th, we will be celebrating Ash Wednesday as we begin the Lenten season.  I pray that you will join me on Wednesday evening for our 6:30 service.  Here we will reflect once again on our own mortality, and Christ victory over death.  Here we will rejoice in that victory as “ashes to ashes and dust to dust” is not the end of the story.  

We will kick off our Lenten worship series as we reflect on our life in the light of Christ’s descent to the cross.  Nothing has been the same since and nothing will ever be the same.  Life lived in its fullness is life in light of the cross.  

God’s blessings to all of you and may our Lent together be one of celebration. 

In His Love and Service,

Pastor Rust