Dear members of Christ the Servant Lutheran, grace and peace to you!
I hope this newsletter finds you well! It is the month of June and so begins the long season of “green” in the church, that is, the season of Pentecost during the summer months in the church. I have always seen this time as a more casual and easy-going time because so many people are traveling and enjoying summer plans. While you are traveling and enjoying your summer plans, if you attend worship services at another church, if you think about it, please pick up an extra bulletin and pass it my way if you wouldn't mind. I always enjoy seeing what other churches are doing in their services.
I also wanted to say, “Congratulations” to all our graduates this year!
As our congregation continues to grow and we see many new faces around the church, I want to thank you for your welcoming spirit as you extend your hands to each other in friendship. Thank you also for doing your part in service and helping our congregation. I have been amazed at how the congregation responded to the call to help the community, help each other, and get the new air conditioners paid for.
We each do our part and have our roles to fulfill, whatever it may be, in helping to carry forth God’s purpose for Christ the Servant Lutheran. Do you believe you have a valuable part to play? Sometimes I notice we think too little of ourselves and too little of the contributions we can make towards advancing the Kingdom of God. Too often we think we are unimportant in the great scheme of things. Not so! That is what the enemy would have you think. I believe it’s important that we have a sound, Biblical self-image of ourselves and remind ourselves from time to time just who we really are in God’s view of us.
Think about this: Each of us are made in the image of God according to Genesis 1:27. Did you know that no one can ever take that away from you? No matter who they are or what they’ve done to you; they can never take that away. Each of us are made in the very image of God. Not only that, but each of us Christians also make up the body of Christ. In Romans 12: 5-6, St. Paul writes, “so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We each have different gifts, according to the grace given us.” See that? Not one member is expendable, not one member is unimportant, and without even one member, we are not completely whole. We all belong to each other and without each of us; we’re always one member short.
The Church is who we are together.
That’s how God sees us. Each person is a valuable member, so valuable, in fact, that God paid for each member just what he thought we were worth – the life of his own Son, Jesus. And each member makes up the complete whole – the whole body of Christ, that is. So when someone is missing, or someone’s help is missing, someone’s service is missing, and so on, a part of us is missing as well.
We are each made in the image of God and each of us are an important part of the body of Christ. It would be great if every person in the Church believed this with all his or her heart. We each have our part to do in the kingdom according to the gifts given us by God and every single person matters from day one to 118 years old. (If you’re over 118, then we’ll talk).
We have much planned around the church moving into the future and we need every member, each doing their part according to the grace given them. The world needs us more than ever and if you’re not 118 years old, I hope you’ll stay in there and continue to labor for the kingdom. Until then, let’s roll up our sleeves and get ready for a great summer of worship, barbecues, picnicking, and good fellowship.
God Bless!
Pastor Rob
