Hello Gloria Dei,
As we move into Memorial Day weekend, please take time to thank God for the men and women who have given their lives for this country and the many freedoms we enjoy. Jesus said that there is no greater love than a person giving their life for the sake of others.
As we give thanks this Memorial Day, we also thank Jesus for giving his life on our behalf. He, too, died so that we could be free. Free from the power of sin. Free from even the power of our final enemy, death itself.
This weekend in worship we will begin a six week preaching series in which the preacher for the day will choose one of their favorite Bible passages on which to focus. I’m preaching this weekend, and I’ve chosen two favorites: Isaiah 43:1-3 and John 2:1-11.
You are invited and encouraged to be thinking of your own favorite Bible passages. Why are they favorites? What do they say to you? Do they bring comfort, peace, joy, challenge, forgiveness? God’s word never comes back empty. It does its work on us and sets us free to love and serve in the name of Jesus. You will have the opportunity to use a Post-It Note to share with us some of your favorites. I’m looking forward to hearing some of yours.
We are blessed to experience three baptisms this weekend. One of which is my grandson, Henry, who will be baptized at the 9:00 a.m. service. At Gloria Dei we all are filled with joy and gratitude that we get to experience so many of these miracles of baptism (71 in 2023 and 26 through the first five months of 2024) as God calls, claims, and names new members into His vast family of faith. God is good… All the time.
And once again, I want to remind you that we continue our Focus Group Meetings to see if we are ready to launch into a capital campaign for future expansion. If you haven’t had the chance to attend one of the meetings, please do so. Your voice is needed.
Meetings happen after each of the three weekend services through June 23, with childcare available following the 9 a.m. service each week. We have added two midweek meeting opportunities as well. Wednesday June 5th and 12th at 6:00 p.m. in the Gloria Dei chapel. There will also be a Zoom Meeting available on Sunday, June 16, at 8:00 a.m.
Have a blessed weekend and I’ll see you in worship.
Pastor Tim
