June/July News

Extraordinary things are happening for us in youth ministry. By the time most of you read this we will be on our way for the first mission trip done by the youth of this congregation. In some ways this seems to be a momentous occasion! On the other hand this is what we have been about all along. When the council changed titles to mission teams, did they know it would be a step in this direction? At the time the Congregation called Jim and later Pastor Shelly, did they know it would be a step in this direction? As Bonnie stepped up to be our parish nurse, did she know that her son would be doing a mission trip? Did the volunteers in the office and around the church, who play a key part in passing on a “vibrant faith” along with all the ministries and mission teams, know we were all working together to send us all on a mission, not just our youth group?

All of us have our own mission field. Our workplace, the places we find recreation, and most importantly our homes. Let’s start with the most important of these, our children; we have an obligation to raise Godly children. This current generation may not be able to relate to words like duty, delayed gratification, or self sacrifice, but the recent coaching session with Paul Hill reminded me “faith is caught not taught.”

We often hear media define Christians in a negative way. We bring so much of this on ourselves. For instance, we would just as soon put down another denomination than to stand up for unborn children, or the fact that divorce is as high in the church as it is in the unchurched. Remember the readings from recent Sundays about the fruit. That is what will define us.

We don’t have all the answers, to pretend we do takes away from what we do have. Grace, for when we screw up. Faith, for when we don’t know the outcome or the answers. Love, as the cornerstone. This mission trip is the fruit! The fruit is from parents raising Godly children, and for a congregation who steps up to help. It’s the fruit of those who are financially blessed and their hard work being used to help pay for things like this. It’s the fruit of our tithing, and it’s the fruit of a committed and hardworking staff, both paid and volunteers. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit who put it on a young girl’s heart to want to push her and her peers into a deeper relationship with Jesus. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit who is working to accomplish this. It will be the fruit of this congregation on display for some folks in West Virginia who have only heard of Our Savior Lutheran in Vero Beach from the occasional phone call back home.

In addition, the youth are helping us with the worship at Horizon Bay assisted living facility. We have many of other things going on. Wow, I can’t even imagine what God has in store for us!


4 Given,
Jimmy Smith