Ahoy St. Lukers!
It’s been an exciting week around the campus with a few hundred children, youth and adults boarding the “SS St. Luker” on a Hero’s Quest to discover our Core Values in the parables of Jesus. Our VBS children have had an amazing time being back on campus, singing, learning the Bible stories in Bible drama, making crafts, and finding ways to create clean water in Costa Rica. The children have already raised $500 for Aqua Viva selling water bottles and stickers, and are now trying to raise another $500! If you would like to help the children meet their goal you can purchase a water bottle or make a donation here. Ms. Lana and her team have done a fantastic job planning, writing, and making this week special.
You will get to see some of the children over the next few weeks as they are creating some great videos to be used in our worship series based on our Core Values starting Sunday. We are going to Navigate Life together digging into the same parables the children have been learning as we see new insight on Christ-centered love lived out through acceptance, hospitality, community, discipleship, and service. Every summer we try to restate our mission, vision, and values, rooted in God’s Word to keep us following our true north as a congregation. This July we hope to awaken new understandings of these verbs through meeting characters we don’t always notice in stories that maybe have become familiar to us. This week Pastors Jad and Melissa will help us understand acceptance through the story of the woman at the well’s encounter with Jesus in Samaria and the reaction of the disciples.
Speaking of voyages, this week we officially offer a Bon Voyage to Bill Barnes as he retires for the second time. Bill has been serving part-time as our Teaching Pastor, leading Exegesis on Wednesday nights, and working with various groups over the last few years. He is officially, fully, retiring to enjoy his family and volunteer at Shepherd’s Hope, helping build the programs for their new Healthy Hope Kitchen. We are so grateful for his continued leadership with us during these years and excited for him and Kim to really enjoy full-time retirement together. We will see you in the pews Bill!
We pray you are having a smooth sailing summer and can’t wait to see you on Sunday!
Grace and peace,
Jenn.