“Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” Matthew 4:19
From the very beginning, St. Andrew has been shaped by a story that begins near the water. Our congregation takes its name and inspiration from the calling of the first disciples by the Sea of Galilee—especially Simon and Andrew, whom Jesus meets while they are casting their nets (Matthew 4:18–25). Jesus steps into the ordinary work of their lives and says a simple, unsettling, yet hope-filled word: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” That invitation and challenge—to trust, to leave what is familiar, to join God’s work in the world—has been echoing through the life of this congregation ever since.
Over the past months, our Vision Team has been at work learning more deeply about our congregation’s history—listening to stories, tracing milestones, and reflecting on how God’s faithfulness has shaped who we are today. That work will came to life in a special worship service on Sunday, February 1.
On that day, we celebrated together as a congregation, reflecting on our shared history, naming and celebrating the many ways God has been faithful to us both personally and as a congregation, recognizing God’s presence and activity among us today, and taking a step of faith by entrusting our future to God’s vision and purpose for St. Andrew Lutheran Church. We created a timeline for the church, and individuals were invited to add the date they came to St. Andrew, as well as a personal faith milestone and ideas for the future. You can view this timeline in the Youth & Activity building. It is also featured in the first two minutes of the service. You may view the special service on youtube or through the link above.
Like Simon and Andrew standing at the water’s edge, we listen again for Christ’s call and trust that the One who has led us this far will continue to guide us into what comes next. The same Jesus who has been faithful to this congregation for 57 years continues to say to us today, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” With gratitude for where we have been and trust in the One who goes before us, we step into this new year together.
The prompts for the personal faith journey exercise are linked below.
Personal Faith Journey Milestones
