Dear Hot Metal Community, A reminder for all to join us this Sunday immediately after worship for our annual All Church Meeting. We'll approve a budget and new leadership, giving thanks for what has been even during this strange year and look forward to what will be. The Gospel reading for this Sunday is Matthew 25:14-30, known as the parable of the talents. A master give his servants varying amounts of money, and they return it with varying amounts of return on the investment. Each servant acts out of fear of the master, who has a reputation of being harsh. This predictably plays out when one servant reveals he has merely buried what was given, and the master is angry and punishes the servant. This is a strange story, because the God we serve is not harsh or angry. God gives us abundant gifts not because God expects a return on investment, but because God loves us and wants us and the world to flourish. However, we can still learn a lesson from this parable. What should be our response to the gifts given to us? Should we find ways to enrich the world around us, or merely bury them and hide? How do we live our call not out of fear, but out of thanks for all that God has given and is doing? We'll think about these questions, and what sort of gifts we've been given as Hot Metal that we want to make sure grow and flourish in the coming year. And we'll gather and taste the gifts of God at the communion table, where the abundance of God is always apparent and everlasting. I hope to see you Sunday! Peace, Pastor Erin | 
