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From The Pastor

My name is Jon Niketh, and for fifteen years I've served as pastor of what I think is a pretty amazing congregation in an equally amazing city.

But let's be honest: there are a lot of things you could be doing with your time right now other than looking at a church website. Perhaps you were searching for adorable cat videos and stumbled over here by mistake. I can't tell you how many times I've done that... But since you're here (and you've made it this far) I want to be very clear about one thing:

You are welcome here.

Really and truly, no hidden agendas, no asterisks, no bait and switch. Whoever you are, wherever you are in life, whatever your faith journey looks like or whether you have one at all, you are welcome at First Lutheran Church. No matter where you come from, where you work, what you look like -- or what your family looks like -- you have a place in this family. You are welcome at First Lutheran Church. You, with all your various quirks, gifts, fears, joys, struggles, bad habits, dreams, and everything else that makes up who you are are welcome at First Lutheran Church. 

We are a community that gathers around the love and mercy of Jesus. In case you've ever heard differently (and it's pretty likely you have) Jesus' love and mercy are for everyone, and they are for you.

Chances are you already know what love is. Mercy is what happens when we screw up the love part -- which if you're like me, is pretty much every day -- and find that the love is still there. We can't shake it off, no matter how hard we try. And despite the fact that many of us have had some no-so-great experiences with organized religion in the past and can't quite wrap our heads around how this is even possible, we experience that love in Jesus. It's the only reason we exist.

We don't come together week after week to pretend to be people we really aren't. We are definitely not the congregation where everyone wears the fake happy face and acts like they are the perfect family. Who has time (or the stomach) for that? We'd rather be real with each other, and we think God would rather we did too.

If you're looking for a community to give you all the right answers to life's questions and tell you exactly what to believe, then you've probably stopped reading this by now. But if you're looking for a community to embrace you just as you are, to be comfortable with your questions, to celebrate your gifts, to walk with you on your journey, then please consider joining us for our Sunday Eucharist.

The word "Eucharist" (also known as Holy Communion or the Mass) which we celebrate each week really means "thanksgiving." There's a lot to be thankful for: life, love, relationships, honest work, second chances and new beginnings, and of course, our daily bread. 

And I can assure you, if you come join us, we will also be thankful for you. We will not simply "tolerate" you as a guest, or force you to be like us before you can belong. We'll receive you as the unique gift from God that you are. We'll break bread together. And you will be welcome at First Lutheran Church.

Yours on the journey,

sigjon

Pr. Jon Niketh

Jon Niketh
Pastor

About Pastor Jon

Pr. Jon is a Reconciling Lutheran, a group of clergy and laypeople who publicly witness to and call for a church and world that welcome and include all: people of every age, class, color, ethnic origin; people of all sexual orientations and gender identities; people who are single, married, divorced, separated, blessed or partnered; people who are temporarily-able, disabled, or of differing abilities.

He received the Bachelor of Arts in Theology and the Humanities from Valparaiso University where he was a Christ College Scholar, and the Master of Divinity with Honors from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary). He was the recipient of the Atonement Lutheran Church (Asbury Park, NJ) Preaching Award, and a finalist for the David H.C. Read Preacher/Scholar Award from Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church (New York) in 2008. He has received training in conflict mediation and congregational family systems theory through the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, and is certified as a Prepare/Enrich facilitator. In 2021 he received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Service in Parish Ministry from United Lutheran Seminary.

He is a regular contributor to the Sundays and Seasons worship planning resource, and other worship and preaching resources published by Augsburg Fortress, including the new All Creation Sings ELCA hymnal supplement. He currently serves as chair of the Worship and Music Team of the New England Synod and is a member of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. In the community of Lynn he serves as a member and Past President of the Board of Directors of Arts After Hours, and is a regular panelist on the cable television show RUACH: Religious Understanding and Community Harmony. In 2017 he married his partner Brianne, a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and Program Director for Community Engagement at Citizens Inn Haven From Hunger. He was called as Pastor of First Lutheran Church in 2008.