Message from Pastor Fitting-Snyder

Building Bridges This Lent

Lent has a way of slowing us down. It invites us to step back from certainty, from urgency, and from the constant pull to have answers at the ready. It is a season that asks not just what we believe, but how we live with one another in a complicated world.

Recently, I had the opportunity to explore these questions at a retreat centered on the theme of building bridges with the women of Calvary Lutheran, Richland Hills. As the conversations unfolded, it became clear that these themes extend far beyond that gathering. They speak directly to the realities many of us are navigating across our synod right now, in our congregations, workplaces, and relationships. 

Throughout Scripture, Jesus consistently meets people at places of division. He crosses boundaries of culture, belief, status, and story—not by forcing agreement, but by showing up with curiosity. Jesus notices. Jesus asks questions. Jesus listens. And Jesus stays. That understanding shaped much of our time together at the retreat, and it feels especially fitting for this Lenten season.

Curiosity is not the absence of conviction, nor is it a retreat from truth. Rather, curiosity is a form of courage. It is the willingness to see another person as more than a position, a label, or a problem to be solved. It slows us down enough to remember that relationship matters—especially when disagreement is real.

In congregational life, practicing curiosity might look like listening more deeply before reacting. It might mean asking what experiences have shaped someone’s perspective rather than assuming we already know. It might mean staying in conversation longer than feels comfortable, trusting that God is at work even when resolution is slow.

The apostle Paul reminds us that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself… and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.” That promise holds both responsibility and grace. We are not called to fix every divide or resolve every conflict. God has already made the first move. Our calling is to live as people who trust that reconciliation is possible because Christ is already present.

Lent, after all, is not about quick solutions. It is about faithful practice—returning again and again to prayer, to repentance, to love shaped by humility. It is about learning how to live differently in the world we have been given.

Being ambassadors of reconciliation does not mean pretending differences do not exist. It means showing up grounded in Christ rather than driven by fear. It means resisting the pressure to rush toward outcomes and instead committing to presence, patience, and faithfulness.

Across our synod, I see congregations practicing this kind of bridge-building every day. This happens through patient leadership, honest dialogue, shared service, and prayerful presence. These practices may feel small, but they are deeply faithful.

As we journey through Lent together, may we trust that God meets us on the bridge—between brokenness and hope, between certainty and humility—and invites us to walk forward together, grounded in Christ’s reconciling love.

In the love of Christ,

Pastor Kelsey

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NT-NL synod staff are excited to engage in-person on Sundays for worship. As good stewards of time and travel dollars, we will be utilizing online meeting formats in our new hybrid reality when possible. If you would like to schedule a meeting with the bishop or Synod staff please contact them directly.

Bishop Gronberg:

March 15: Central, Dallas
March 16: Wartburg Seminary Candidacy Review
March 28: Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest Board Meeting, Fort Worth
March 29: Central, Dallas

Pastora Bañales:

March 8-11: Latino Christian National Network, Washington DC
March 16-20: Vacation
March 19: DEM Advisory Team

Pastor Fitting-Snyder:

March 22: Faith, Flower Mound