Greetings parish!
Happy Fourth of July! American writer Gerald Stanley Lee once observed, “America is a tune; it must be sung together.” Though we come from many backgrounds, we form a national unity when we sing together. My voice, your voice, our voices together blend a national anthem of strength. In short, we do not live for ourselves alone.
In Romans 6, the Apostle Paul asks us who we will live for. Every life is spent on something or someone, given to something or someone, so who will we live for? In Christ, we are Easter people who have been raised from the dead. We belong to God and represent God. Our lives matter, and more than that, have the capacity to heal, forgive and understand…
As we gather for communion tomorrow, we celebrate the freedom we have to make a difference in the world in which we live. One way to do that is to give the gift of a bed. Yes, you heard that right. There are fifteen new immigrants to the L/A area who are in need of beds, and other essentials for planting lives in a new place. What better way to honor our nation’s birthday, than giving the gift of a new start to someone who needs it? David and Mary MacMahon are willing to arrange for the pick-up and delivery of quality furniture you may have to meet this need. Thank you for your generosity!
In the evening tomorrow, 7 pm, I will be preaching at the Vesper Service for Empire Grove. The Grove is a spiritual place of joy for all who participate in the gift of community. I would love to see you there!
The church office will be closed on Monday and Tuesday. I also ask you to put a date on your calendar: Merger Conversation II will be held on Sunday, July 30th, 1 pm, UMCA sanctuary. We will hear the missional report of the Merger Team and coordinate the actions that will enable us to vote at church conferences later this year. This is an open meeting to all in the parish!
May the joy of Christ be with you,
Pastor Steve Bascom