Grace and Peace Beloved St. Lukers,

I hope you have had a blessed week so far and that this Easter-tide (it’s not a laundry detergent) and our sermon series “God’s Phone Booth” are enriching and challenging you and your faith journey. We are all called just as we are, right where we are. That got me thinking about Bud. My first full-time Youth Ministry job was in Deltona and Bud was one of the ministry volunteers. Bud was in his late 70’s and he had severe atrophy in his back and his hands. And while I’m sure he was in pain and discomfort and he had to be exhausted at the end of the night, each and every Sunday night Bud was there at the church ready for ministry. He would engage in our team meeting and in his interactions with the students who came. He had a special knack for finding the kids on the edges, the outskirts, the kids who didn’t necessarily have a lot of friends. He would befriend them, accept them and help them find friends and a place. Bud couldn’t play nine square, or football, he couldn’t play all the board games and he couldn’t do all the activities but he could accept, love, and care, he could help create community. Bud knew that God had called him to make and be the difference in others’ lives. He knew he didn’t have to be young, hip (whatever that is) or cool, he just had to be himself and follow the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes we get caught up in the worldly excuses for why we can’t _________ (fill in the blank). I hope you will join us this weekend for worship as we celebrate Mother’s Day and think about how God has called us right here, right now, just as we are…to be about God’s Kingdom Work.

See you Sunday,
Pastor Jad

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