When Christopher Columbus set sail in 1492, he didn’t have GPS, satellite weather, or a Coast Guard station on speed dial. What he did have was faith, a compass, and three ships that creaked more than old church pews.

Columbus began each morning with prayer. His journals record how he recited psalms, offered thanks for calm seas, and pleaded for mercy when storms rolled in. On those long nights when the crew worried they might sail right off the edge of the world, Columbus encouraged them to pray together, trusting that God’s hand was steering the course even when the stars were hidden.

Long before him, Leif Erikson also braved the Atlantic in search of a new world. Whether Viking or Venetian, both explorers shared a common trait: courage shaped by faith. No one crosses great waters without trusting something greater than themselves.

This Sunday, as we celebrate Columbus Day weekend and the joy of baptism, we will be reminded that we, too, are voyagers. Baptism is the beginning of our journey on the waters of faith. Sometimes the seas are smooth, sometimes they are stormy, but Christ remains at the helm.

So come aboard this Sunday, October 12, at 9:30 AM, as we gather for worship and welcome a new member of the family through the waters of baptism. There is plenty of room on deck, and I promise, no one will get seasick in church.

Blessings,

Pastor Marc