On this 3rd Sunday after Pentecost, we hear 2 of Jesus’ beautiful parables, comparing the Kingdom of God to a great shrub providing shade & respite, grown from a tiny mustard seed – and a bountiful harvest produced from someone simply scattering seed on the ground (Mark 4:26-34). We are uplifted by words of Paul from 2 Corinthians 5: “So we are always confident… for we walk by faith, not by sight…. If anyone is in Christ, there is a NEW creation!” We had a truly inspiring Youth Sunday last week, and now begin our Summer Prayer Focus. LS Hope Item #1 is “greater intentionality in taking time to be still & know that God is God!” Everyone is invited to pause for a pre-worship prayer time, at 8:10 & 10:25 (5 minutes prior to each service). In these quiet moments, find time to be refreshed with a greater sense of God’s presence – and if something is heavy on your heart, a pastor can come to you in the pew (or car) for a personal word of prayer. There is a time of quiet prayer added to the worship prayers – and several uplifting new parts to the liturgy, from the “This Far by Faith” Lutheran worship book. We continue our Hope Prayer baskets, and our Hoping-Coping Life Skills survey slips are still available.
