Andrea Steinkamp: "Travelling Faithfully" (Sermon for August 10, 2025)

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going." – Hebrews 11:8Friends,Summer is peak travel season, and that’s no exception for the pastoral team here at St. Paul & St. Andrew. Pastor K is wrapping up a 150+ mile trek across Ireland this week; I’ve just returned from a (much less ambitious!) trip to Michigan; and Pastor Lea is heading out on her own journey in the coming days.We’ve also loved seeing the photos and hearing the stories of your own adventures - whether restful, exciting, or transformative.Many of these trips fall into the category of journeys we want to take - journeys we plan for, even long for. But there are other journeys we find ourselves on that weren’t exactly our idea: the kind we’d rather not take, the ones that stir up fear or resistance, that make us long for the safety of what is known and familiar.In his poem For the Traveler, John O’Donohue writes, “A journey can become a sacred thing...” His words, alongside this week’s reading from Hebrews - recounting Abraham and Sarah’s journey by faith away from their homeland - got me wondering: what does it mean to travel faithfully?As we continue our Grounded in Grace, Growing in the Gospel series, we’ll explore that question together this Sunday.Looking forward to journeying with you,Pastor Andrea