Nicole’s e-Pistle “Ask the Pastor”

January 7, 2026

Greetings, Friends!

For as long as I have been literate, the hardest part of writing for me is having to pick a topic. When teachers or professors provide the topics for essays or term papers, I do well. When I am left with endless possibilities to choose my own topic, I struggle.

Yesterday afternoon, Bjorn asked me how my day had been. I told him it was a great day, but I was a little stressed. He asked if there was anything he could do. I said I needed him to give me a topic for this week’s e-Pistle – maybe a first line, just to get me started. He paused for a moment as though thinking very seriously and responded, “This week’s e-Pistle topic is on…” Then he gave me a sly, goofy grin, pretending that he had given me a great prompt! I burst out laughing! At least I can count on him for comic relief!

Still, he gave me an idea. I would like to invite you to send me “Ask the Pastor” questions. You can email me your thoughts and ponderings – njiskoot@firstpresdalton.org – or you can write them out on slips of paper and bring them to the church office. You can ask questions about scripture, theology, the role of our faith in everyday life, or even questions that aren’t quite so “churchy.” The sky is the limit. From time to time, I’ll select one of your questions to use as my e-Pistle topic. I will share the question at the beginning of an epistle, but not who submitted it, and will then answer it to the best of my ability. I highly encourage you to get your children and grandchildren to participate as well.

For example, when I was in middle and high school, I thought being a Christian meant you couldn’t watch certain kinds of movies or listen to certain types of music. If I had been brave enough, I might have asked my youth pastor at the time if certain aspects of secular culture should be “off limits” in order to be a good Christian. At that time, I never would have thought that a pastor could enjoy watching a show like Stranger Things or have gone through a heavy metal phase in her 20s! (Did you know there is such as thing as Christian Metal? There is, and it’s epic!)

Or maybe, you’ve been a Presbyterian for much of your life, but no one has ever dared to bring up the concept of predestination. It’s definitely the biggest theological challenge for me, one that I still wrestle with from time to time when I’m feeling scholarly.

When I was a teacher, I used to tell my students they could ask me anything. It didn’t always mean I would answer their questions… (teenage boys can come up with some doozies)… but they were always welcome to ask. I wanted my students to know that I cared about them, not just about their progress in history, but in how they were growing as people. Likewise, I hope to walk alongside each of you as we deepen our understanding of faith and God and life and love together. When we feel free to be curious and ask tough questions, we are free to grow and expand. I look forward to growing with you!

Blessings and peace,