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How was your vacation?
As we return to our routine after summer vacation, what habit of effective discipleship will each of us invest in?
This is a familiar question we hear around this time of year. Whether we’re asked or we overhear it, many of us think of vacation as a time of slowing down and taking a break from the hectic pace of life. For many of us, that means relaxing with family and friends. For others, it’s living the weekends at the cabin or a northern resort. And for a few, it may be jetting off to enjoy a luxurious week or two in a foreign land or an exotic beach.
Isn’t summer great AND don’t we need our vacations!
Yet, time marches on! We find it’s almost more work to prepare for vacation and “catch up” upon returning than to actually go on vacation. We might enjoy the break to “get away,” yet when we return we realize that the normal things of life continue to spin and we have to pick up the pace to fit back into the routine. I know this is true in my life! Sometimes, a few days after I return from vacation, I feel like I need another one!
As we vacation during the summer months, things at Grace continue to move forward. Furnaces, air conditioning, and boilers are in the final process of installation, the new tile has been set, the carpeting should be in place soon, and many preparations are in line for Rally Sunday. (I must say for the record, that the air-conditioning has been a great change for worship, weddings, and funerals – more comfortable and quieter with sealed windows.)
In addition to the forward momentum with the Grace facility, there is plenty of forward momentum on staff. In just a few days we anticipate our new Director of Youth, Chris Harris will start at Grace. In addition, Lisa Norbeck and Kim DeVries, our new Co-Directors of Children’s Ministries, are working hard to plan one of the best years ever! And now that Pastor Chris DeGraff has “gotten his feet wet” the last two months, he is cultivating opportunities for us to grow deeper in discipleship and generosity.
The question for many is this: “How we get back into the routine after summer vacations?” What habit of effective discipleship will each of us invest in? Think about growing deeper in one of these:
Daily Bible Reading and Prayer
Pick up a devotional booklet in the lobby or visit the ELCA web site for the daily devotional: www.elca.org/prayer.
Serve
Package meals with up to 60 men, women and children from Grace at Feed by Starving Children on August 18, October 13 or November 24 or help with Family Table on the 3rd Sunday of each month or join the Quilters on Wednesday mornings.
Study God’s Word
Join a Bible Study, attend an Adult Bible Survey on Wednesday nights, or the New Members/Discipleship Course on October 6.
Cultivate Vital Relationships
Attend the October 13 Fellowship Event, partake in a social/friendship group, jump into WOW (Women on Wednesday) or another Small Group experience.
Worship
Make it a priority for the week to look up the scripture on the ELCA web site www.elca.org/worship/church_year/year_c.html and read it before attending worship?
Give
Sign up for the Simply Giving automated withdrawal program or consider growing your offerings by one percent?
Share Your Faith
Invite someone to coffee and listen to
their story.
All it takes is a bit of “spiritual intentionality” and isn’t that a part of every disciple’s walk? As we look forward to a great year of ministry, I challenge you to consider the ways in which you can take a step to go deeper in your discipleship as you get back into your routine!
In His Grace,
Pastor Mark