In this season of giving thanks, God prepares our hearts by adorning our home with autumn’s blanket of color. For a precious few weeks, the beauty of Ashland emerges in away we can’t ignore.
Though Ashland’s true beauty remains in what we share together. What we have is beautiful because it is ours.
Growing up, I didn’t realize my family’s ways of life were “traditions.” I assumed everyone lived like us. As I grew older, I found each family had different traditions, all beautiful in their own way. When raising my own family, I wanted to pass on the best traditions I’d experienced.
Sharing traditions opens a door to who I am and where I’m from. Tradition isn’t about “me” but “us.” I’m part of something bigger when I share traditions. Done well, they welcome others into the best we know.
At Trinity, we are a Lutheran church. First and foremost, we’re Christians who share a core faith with others. Through the years, I’ve learned beautiful beliefs and traditions of other denominations. We have much to share with each other. But I cherish our Lutheran traditions – more than just worship style and flow. We witness the Gospel, think about faith, and stand for truth in unique ways.
I love how we laugh, sing, and share life. Our traditions are special because they make us an “us.” Like autumn leaves adorning Ashland with God-given beauty, our Christian faith is adorned by the outward beauty of tradition. At Trinity, those Lutheran traditions are a heritage of faith, life, culture, and history for us to share with each other and a world needing our Gospel witness. What we have is beautiful because it is ours. It can become beautiful to others only when we share it with them. May we cherish our traditions while welcoming others to share in the blessings we’ve been given.
