Dear friends,

This week is the first week of St. Luke’s Summer Camps. Over 200 preschool and elementary-age children will be here on campus for full-day camps this month learning how to LIVE B.I.G. We are so grateful for the work of our staff members who lead these camps. Chris Smith, Janet Chambers, April Outing, and their team of leaders work diligently to create fun, faith-forming, safe, active, and creative rotations for children, which is a tremendous help to families during the summer. The camp counselors are continuing to teach the themes of Vacation Bible School: learning to live Built In Goodness through stewardship, equality, acceptance, and love. All of these lessons are great for children to learn as they develop their faith and character, while using grounded biblical stories.

Those are some great foundational rules of community, similar to the ideas we are hearing in worship as we visit God’s Park; where we are learning how to play in the sandbox with others. Last week you were ALL IN to the idea of St. Luke’s finding a new way to “GO” and welcome people in our community. You helped by purchasing 197 cups to be used in our new Sunday afternoon ministry of dropping off a gift and information to first time guests. Much like Pastor David Stephens used to do with friendship bread as St. Luke’s was in its early ministry days (I remember that friendship bread – it was really good!). This month our goal is to meet the scriptural goal of 72 new Connect team volunteers. We are halfway to that goal with 35 St. Lukers going ALL IN as a part of this new Connection Crew.

This is huge since at “Take pART” alone we had over 100 potential new St. Lukers who attended or participated with their art or creative talents. You can help us show we CARE to these guests by being a part of this new Connection Crew. CARE is the playground etiquette rule we will learn this week as Pastor Jad and I dive into the definition Jesus gives of what it means to be a neighbor through the parable of the Good Samaritan. Join us in worship on Sunday as we give you another challenge and opportunity to be ALL IN through the ways we CARE for those who visit and the future St. Lukers we have yet to meet.

Grace and Peace,

Jenn.

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