This Sunday, we hear beautiful words of Psalm 23 – images of still waters & green pastures – and we marvel at all the ways the Lord, our loving shepherd, leads us to needed moments of peace and spaces of grace in life. We continue to lift up in prayer so many lives that are being affected by fires, flooding, other disasters and tragedies – and pray that God will use us to be living beacons of hope for those we encounter each day. At LS, we continue our Summer Hope focus, with special 5-minute pre-worship Prayer Times to be still & know that God is God, amidst all life’s storms. At 8:10 & 10:25, it is also possible to have the pastor come offer special prayer with you in the pews, should there be a particular burden on your heart.
At 8:15, worship is in the sanctuary. At 10:30, worship how you choose – in the sanctuary, from the parking lot, on the lawn, or online. For those who are out-of-town or vacationing, continue to spread the word about our 10:30 livestream on Facebook and YouTube!
On this 8th Sunday after Pentecost, we hear how Jesus leads the apostles away to a quiet place for rest after their intense, hope-filled ministry in surrounding villages – and how Jesus has compassion on the hurting crowds, like sheep without a shepherd. Ephesians 2 will remind us how Jesus came to break down the dividing walls that separate humanity – and these words will ring out in our hearts, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want… surely goodness & mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Come celebrate the grace and peace of God this Sunday – and invite someone to join you!