Shepherd Notes July 2024
Summer Sun and Fun because of the One!
A blessed summer to you and yours! The Lord has richly blessed us with new life in his beautiful creation; and the joy of having the rest and recreation of summer. May we be reminded about God’s faithfulness to us as we take that rest and recreation. It is my hope and prayer that you find peace, renewal, and strength in God and your savior Jesus these summer months. Our prayers are with all the farmers and agricultural workers who have had a great deal of rain to deal with in this planting season. May God grant seasonable warm weather for a bountiful harvest to come!
Heather and I have made several plans for this Summer including Lifefest, a Lindsey Sterling concert and A trip to the Grand Canyon aboard Amtrak. Of course we will also be working around the house also (Less Fun)
As the summer months are upon us, I would like to offer a couple of reminders at this time of year about our Christian faith and our life together:
First, remember that there should be no vacation from your faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus calls us to every-day, life-long discipleship. Additionally, the explanation of the third commandment instructs us to be glad and eager to hear the Word of God regularly. I encourage you to remain faithful in your study of the scriptures, active in worship, and steadfast in prayer over these summer months.
Second, remember that Our Savior is also working in partnership with Christian congregations all across the United States (and abroad) through their membership in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, or her sister congregations. If you find yourself traveling out of town this summer over a weekend, you can log-on to the Synod’s website at www.lcms.org , click on “Find a Church”, and locate a sister congregation near where you are traveling.
I have always found it to be very rewarding to attend other churches during the summer. Mainly to get fresh ideas on how we can be the Church better. We often fall into the old saying “We’ve always done church that way” and of course change is not something we even like to hear, see, or even think about.
Have a blessed, relaxed, rejuvenating Summer, but always put Christ in the center of your life, as we know that everything we have and enjoy is truly a gift from our Lord and Savior!
Your fellow servant in Christ
Pastor Brian