It’s been great to be back with so many of you at worship in-person (as well as all who continue to worship online) – and this Sunday, we welcome home Pastor Carl & family! We hear the beautiful story of how Jesus had compassion on a crowd of thousands – and fed them all, with just a few loaves & fish that everyone assumed could never be enough. As humans, we get caught up in the world’s narratives of scarcity & self-preservation, but life in God’s Kingdom gives us a very different image: that when we are bold enough (like a little boy with his lunch basket) to trust & share our blessings with Jesus, then God can use whatever we have to make us amazing living beacons of hope for many! 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 & YouTube! Sunday, we offer a blessing for our Youth & Adults who will be involved in our Midlands Lutheran GraceWorks servant blitz next week. Keep them in prayer as they serve to bring hope thru homeless ministries, children/youth agencies, sr. adult ministries, and more. Don’t forget to sign up for our Red Cross Blood Drive next Wednesday from 10-4! After feeding the crowd, Jesus then came walking to his disciples, atop mighty waves & through stormy winds to bring them peace. And so Jesus still comes to us through all life’s storms, walking across the world’s chaos. On Sunday, come hear the words Jesus shared with his disciples that day long ago, “It is I, do not be afraid!” Yes, Jesus, you are our hope! Come celebrate the grace and peace of God this Sunday in whatever way you can – and invite someone to join you!
