In another hot week, we continue to hold in prayer all those affected by the summer weather, and offer special prayers for those traveling and concluding summer excursions. Please also pray for educators and students, with school around the corner. Our youth have been such a summer inspiration, with GraceWorks, Mission Trip, Campfirmation, VBS, and Artsmart. Our Kershaw County students start back to school next Thursday, with our Richland students the following Wednesday – and they have their back-to-school lunch with the pastors at Red Robin next Tuesday. Everyone, mark your calendars for our School Bag blessing on Sunday, Aug. 6 (students & educators, don’t forget to email your photos with school/grade by next Wednesday). On both the 6th & 13th, we offer a blessing for our college students as well, with the awarding of 8 grants from our Legrand-Lowman Scholarship Fund. Because of your generosity, we’re also able to provide 3 grants to students at Cristo Rey, our mission partner congregation. Thanks be to God! LS school supply collection for our 3 adopted backpack schools continues through Aug. 6. Our inspirational Football Devotional Ministry kicks off next week, with hot dog supper for 100 JV/B-team youth on Friday, Aug. 4. Sign-up at church or call the office to help. We’re excited about our LS Fellowship Nite at the Columbia Fireflies baseball game Aug. 10 – signup by Sunday to join us. Continue to spread the word about out Sunday worship livestream to people everywhere – we also have quite a growing collection of Wednesday Bible story readings on our YouTube channel to share with others! On Sunday, we have a special anthem from guitarist Tim Wert and choir, “May this church be like a tree!” We hear Jesus’ beautiful parables, comparing the Kingdom of God’s to an amazing mustard seed, powerful yeast, a hidden treasure, fine pearls, and a fishing net cast wide into the sea. From Romans (our July Bible book of the month), Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit is always there for us, to give us strength in weakness – and even intercedes for us in prayer with sighs too deep for words! Paul encourages us with the sure & certain promise that there is nothing in all creation – no distress, no powers, not even death itself – that can ever separate us from God’s infinite, eternal love in Jesus our Lord. May that hope-filled promise continue to grow in your heart each day – as we look forward to all gathering in the fullness of God’s love for worship this Sunday. Christ’s peace! #SundayWorship
