Dear St. Lukers,
We hope children and their families have had a chance to participate with our first Virtual Vacation Bible School video. New Virtual VBS videos will be posted Sundays at 5:00 p.m. on Facebook through August 23. We kicked off the theme “Bridge the Gap” by learning to Begin with Love. We created origami hearts that we were supposed to put around our homes reminding us to begin with love in all of our conversations and actions toward others. Many of you came to the church for a drive through with the Pastors and Grow Ministries Staff to pick-up your resource packet. It was great to see your faces and wish you a blessing!
This Sunday, we finish up the first week in worship as we concentrate on the tools we need to become Bridge Builders in our homes, communities, and cities. Like the children, the first step is to Begin with Love. Which seems easy, sweet, and sentimental, but becomes more difficult when we hear Jesus command that we are to begin with love with ALL people. Our church-wide book study, Reckless Love by Tom Berlin (click here to order), tells us in the first chapter that eventually, God will bring into our lives those for whom we must really practice “beginning with love.” He writes:
“When these people show up and become a part of your circle of relationships, you will think that God is just messing with you, because you will find some of them really difficult. You may even believe that it is not possible to love them. The truth is, God is messing with you. The Lord is pushing you to activate the virtuous cycle. When you learn to love that particular hard-to-love neighbor, you will discover things about God and learn to stand in wonder of God, in ways you would not have discovered without that neighbor.” (pg. 29)
Join us for worship on Sunday as we explore this calling we have to use Reckless Love to make us Bridge Builders for the Kingdom. Who is the person, or what is the situation, in which God is actually messing with you, pushing you to activate the virtuous cycle, inviting you to begin with love? Consider purchasing the book and reading along with us and joining a group study (Morning Edition, Choir, Single Servings, Sisters of the Soul, select Life Together groups). Tom Berlin will actually be with us in worship a few weeks from now as well as some other pastors you know and love.
One of the ways we are trying to Bridge the Gap for all of you during this time is to take another step forward in our phases. Next week we will have the Sanctuary open at certain times during the week for you to come and pray in your sacred space.
Starting Tuesday, July 28, the Sanctuary will be open for personal prayer on:
- Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
- Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
You will be asked to sign-in, wear a face covering, and maintain social distancing guidelines. We will have music playing as well as scriptures and prayers scrolling on the screen. Someone will be there to sanitize after you leave. The altar will be open for prayer or you may just simply sit and have your moment of sacred time with God. Looking forward to seeing some of you next week.
Until then, Begin with Love and let’s start building bridges,
Jenn.