Pastor's Corner
Pastor Rajiv ·
Dear St. Paul Family,
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” — Psalm 133:1
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
This beautiful verse from Psalm 133 reminds us that Christian fellowship is much more than simply being together. It is learning to love one another, care for one another, encourage one another, and grow together as the family of God.
Over these weeks, we are focusing on four important foundations that helped the early church become a faithful, growing, and Spirit-filled community:
Prayer • Teaching • Fellowship • Mission
These foundations were essential to the life and growth of the early church, and I believe they are just as essential for us today.
This Sunday, our focus will be Fellowship. We will look especially at the early believers in Acts and discover what koinonia—Christian fellowship—really meant to them and what it can mean for us at St. Paul.
As you prepare for worship, I invite you to reflect on these three questions:
Our CORE team will meet tomorrow morning, and I invite the entire congregation to surround this meeting with prayer.
Please pray that God will give us clarity, wisdom, unity, and spiritual discernment as we listen to one another and seek God’s direction for St. Paul. Pray that our decisions will not simply reflect our own ideas or preferences, but will help us understand where God is leading our church and how we can faithfully serve our congregation and community.
As our children, youth, college students, teachers, and families begin or prepare for another school year, please keep them in your prayers.
Pray that God will protect our students, give them wisdom and direction, help them remain focused in their studies, surround them with good friends and mentors, and give them courage when they face challenges. Most importantly, pray that as they grow academically, socially, and emotionally, they will also continue to grow in their faith and their relationship with God.
Please continue to pray for the ongoing conflict and tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, and for all the people whose lives are being affected. Current reporting continues to describe active U.S.-Iran hostilities and serious regional tensions. (Reuters)
Let us pray that God will give wisdom, restraint, courage, and a genuine desire for peace to elected, civic, and military leaders. Let us especially remember the innocent families and communities who suffer most during conflict.
Gracious and loving God,
Thank You for calling us together as sisters and brothers in Christ. Teach us to live in unity, to love one another deeply, to encourage one another faithfully, and to become a church where every person can experience belonging and Christian fellowship.
We pray for our CORE meeting tomorrow. Give our leaders wisdom, clarity, humility, and unity. Help us listen for Your voice and follow faithfully where You are leading St. Paul.
We pray for all our students, teachers, and families as a new school year begins. Protect them, guide them, help them learn and grow, and strengthen their faith each day.
We pray for Iran, Israel, the United States, and the many communities affected by conflict. Give wisdom to leaders, protect innocent people, soften hearts, and open pathways toward reconciliation and lasting peace.
And Lord, make St. Paul a loving and connected church—a congregation that prays deeply, grows biblically, loves authentically, and serves missionally.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday as we continue learning what it means to be the family of God.
In Christ Jesus, Pastor Rajiv Pathik
