About Nate Preisinger
Rev. Nathaniel Preisinger (he/him/his) earned his Bachelor’s Degree at St. Olaf College and received his Master of Divinity and a Certificate in Theological Education for Emerging Ministries at Wartburg Seminary. Pastor Nate previously served as a Mission Developer for Organic Faith, worked at United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia as Director of Admissions, and as the pastor at Parkside Lutheran Church in Buffalo, NY and Reformation Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, PA. Nate is married to Amanda and they have three children, Evelyn (12), Solomon (10), and Miriam (6). Together they have fun creating and playing board games, watching movies, hiking around Colorado and doing science experiments. Additionally, Nate enjoys listening to music, running on the High Line Canal, going to the library, reading multiple books at the same time, yoga, and basketball.Pastor Nate’s sermon on 11/14/22
Pastor Nate’s full sermon from the 8:30am service on 11/14 is based on the reading from Mark 13:1-8.
Hello, is it me you’re looking for? By Nate Priesinger
Hello, is it me you’re looking for?
By Nate Priesinger
Hello, is it me you’re
looking for?I can see it in your
eyes, I can see it in your smile.You’re all I’ve ever
wanted and my arms are open wide.‘Cause you know just
what to say, and you know just what to do.And I want to tell you
so much, I love you.“Hello” by
Lionel Richie
The last few weeks have been daunting. My family and I have been ravished with tragedy,
heartache, and pain. Things have happened that don’t make sense, and
people we love are enduring immense loss. And as I try to make my way
through the muck and darkness that seem to overshadow my every thought, I sit
down to write this email with a heavy heart.
Do you ever feel like there are more questions than answers? Do you ever
feel like the road Jesus sends us on is filled with obstacles and barriers
impossible to overcome? And when life brings us unbearable pain, do you
find it difficult to focus on what our Savior is trying to show us today?
When tragedy strikes, my focus tends to wander away from the golden rules I try
to follow. Living in the moment, traveling the road Jesus sets before me,
and keeping the faith become blurry mantras. I begin to question what my
role is, and I stray from the mission I know God wants me to live out.
Yet, as I sit here feeling lost and find it a struggle to send out a positive
message, God always seems to find a way to bring light into the darkness.
Sometimes what He shows me is profound, and sometimes He decides a simple
ditty, like the one above, should play over and over in my head. And
although these lyrics are being sung about a man’s feeling for the woman he
loves, they seem to resonate in my soul and remind me how much God loves each
and every one of us.
“Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” Yes, Jesus is the one I
am always looking for. I may not find Him in ways that are obvious, but
He always makes sure my search ends with a peace that comes from resting in His
everlasting arms. His light shows up in my family and friends. His
presence is felt in a simple message sent through an email, text, or
song. And His words become truth as my heart softens and my eyes open to
a perspective only He can bring.
He can see it in our eyes. He can see it in our smiles. Our
acceptance is all He ever wanted, and His arms are open wide. We may not
always know exactly what to say, and we may not know just what to do. But
as the questions pile up and the answers seem to be aloof, one thing we can
always count on is this….God wants to tell us so much….”I love you!”
Pastor Gary’s sermon All Saints Sunday 2021
Pastor Gary’s sermon for All Saints Sunday 2021 was delivered in two parts. This sermon is based on reading John 11 and Isaiah 25
Reformation Sunday Sermon 2021
Pastor Nate and Pastor Gary’s shared sermon from Reformation Sunday 2021 is based on readings from John 8:31-36 and Romans 3:19-28
Pastor Gary’s sermon on 10/24/21
Pastor Gary’s full sermon from our 8:30 worship service on 10/24/21 is based on readings from Jeremiah 31:7-9 and Mark 10:46-52
Fueled By Faith
Fueled By Faith
By Justin March
“There’s been a path set in front of me. I’m going to walk it and I’m going to help other
people know that it’s going to be alright–just keep fighting. You’ve got
to have faith, keep praying, keep believing and it’s just going to get
better. It’s just going to keep getting better. Everyone serves a
bigger purpose than where they are currently.”
– Noble Haskell
Noble is one of our son Noah’s best friends. He is confident,
competitive, and most importantly, “fueled by faith.” And after
a horrific accident that threatened to take Noble’s life, it is this faith that
drives him along the road to recovery. It makes him fight, it gives him
strength, and it allows him to share his story to inspire others. It is a
faith that is encouraging and contagious, and every time I watch the video that
9news aired in late October about Noble’s road to recovery, it is humbling to
listen to his words about how faith is bringing him back.
Sometimes I need a reminder to keep the faith. Sometimes I let this world
drag me down and question what my purpose really is. And sometimes, my
faith is shattered by news or events that seem unfair and unjust. And
although I know it is faith that will get me through any trial, I must admit
there are times when I throw my hands in the air and ask God why?
Are we trusting God and making sure we are “fueled by faith?”
Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us so we can be a beacon to
others? And are we following Jesus and accepting that His grace and
forgiveness are enough to get us through any trial this life may throw our
way?
The last couple weeks have been tough. The last couple weeks have been
full of trials. And the last couple weeks have left me with more
questions than answers. But after watching Noble’s video again, I am
reminded that it is faith that will get me through. It is faith that
God’s promises of love, sacrifice, and forgiveness will allow me to continue on
my journey. And it is faith that will heal all wounds and mend all that
has been broken.
I hope you have a week that is “fueled by faith.” I pray that
no matter what gets thrown your way, you find a peace and comfort in knowing
that God has a plan, even if you don’t understand it’s purpose. And I
hope that it is this faith that brings you closer to Him, closer to His
community, and closer to His mission for your life.
To learn more about Noble’s road to recovery, just Google “Noble Haskell 9
news” and watch the video. I promise you it will “fuel your
faith!”
Learning to Let Go
Learning to Let Go
By Justin March
“I’m gonna let it go. Forgiveness is something we gotta know. ‘Cause if you hold on
forever, it’ll hurt your soul. That’s why I’m learning how to let it go.”
Learning…..A song by Kane Brown
I was having a conversation with someone dear to me, and we began to converse
about the people who have hurt us in this life. We shared stories about
the pain they inflicted, and we spoke about the hurtful words that were
expressed. Hatred, anger, insecurity, hopelessness, and longing were some
common themes, and I could tell if the conversation continued, it would put me
in a bad place.
Yet, just as I was about to find a way to end this conversation, the next few
sentences were encouraging and uplifting. We realized that we did not
have the power to change the hand we had been dealt, and we understood that
holding on to the past hurt us more than the people who had inflicted the
pain. And by the time we concluded this subject matter, we learned that
all we can do is forgive those who have wronged us, try to rectify the
relationship, then let it go.
Sometimes we hold on to those past experiences way too long. Maybe we
think things will work out in the end, maybe we think there are still lessons
to be learned, and maybe we have hope that the people who wronged us will
change. But no matter the reason we hold on, if we continue to carry the
negatives we have experienced in this life, they are going to weigh us down.
So, I am learning to forgive and let go. I am creating a world where my
family and friends do not need to be haunted by the past. And I am using
the Bible, sermons, devotions, and music to bring positive, uplifting messages
to those that need to hear them. This does not mean my past will be
erased, nor do I want it to be, but it does mean I can use it to ignite the
flame for a more positive life.
I pray you find the time this week to think about what’s weighing you
down. If it is an estranged relationship, I hope you find the courage to
try to rectify it. If you feel stuck by pain you have inflicted upon
another, ask for their forgiveness. And whether you feel heavy from work,
family, friends, sickness, church, media, or anything else this world puts on
your shoulders, I pray you find a way to let it go.
Pastor Nate’s Sermon 10/17/2022
Pastor Nate’s sermon from the Creative Service on 10/17 is based on readings from Isaiah 53 and Mark 10:35-45. This sermon was presented as a skit as we follow the story of a fictional character named Jim through all of his ups and downs in life.