GREETINGS TO THE HOLY PEOPLE OF GOD,
National Night Out, the first Tuesday in August is fast approaching. I wonder how God will work through us as we host this event and I hope that you will attend. I would like our neighbors to meet you, the people of Christ the King Lutheran Church who have claimed this corner on Melrose and Mormon Trek. You are beautiful children of God created in the image of God and shine a radiant light in this world. I give thanks to God for the gift of this community.
We continue to work toward a message for our neighbors to be placed on a popcorn holder/megaphone. Thank you for your responses and concentrated effort infused with prayer. It is a good exercise for us to do as we think about what we want to accomplish in hosting this event and God working with us in these efforts. I continue to pray and wonder if the megaphone/popcorn holder is a good idea. It may be that hosting the event is enough. This is a community exercise of faith. Will God show up and what will God teach us through our neighbors?
God knows how to work with raw material – curbing and directing our proclamation.
In your responses I see your desire to reach out with God’s good news in Jesus Christ. Messaging in simple words is difficult because we have so much to tell and it is a complicated message with many assumptions especially for those of us who know it well.
We are more than a social service agency. Called by Christ, we want to help our neighbor but many times we do not know how to help our neighbor in a meaningful way that ultimately helps them to meet Jesus. We turn to the Holy Spirit to breathe the message into us for this time and space. Here is the raw material that we are working with in this creative process.
· We’d like to get to know you! Is there anything we can help you with?
· Here to Help
· A Safe Place
· You are welcome to pop in any time, dear neighbor.
This probably says more than what we are willing to do. The psalmist reminds us that our help comes from the Lord, and we know that God’s help comes through Jesus’ suffering, death, resurrection and not necessarily a quick fix of “help” as our culture understands help. God took a great deal of time and effort to cultivate a relationship with a people that eventually opened to all people. We know that living in family relationships and the community of faith does not guarantee safety. Many wonderful relationships are formed and beautiful fruit is produced and we still miss the mark, sinning against God and one another. Our relationships are not free of sin, even within the church.
· Pop…pop… pop… pop on into worship!
· We R like popcorn, we need you to season us.
· We will not pass you by.
· We like popcorn need you to season us
· Come & Share God’s love.
· Come and worship with us.
· JOY = Jesus, Others, You.
· Pop in and worship with us!
· Come & Share God’s Love.
· Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you?
These are very invitational with the assumption that the neighbor knows Jesus and wants to worship God. These ideas express our desire to gain something of value from our neighbor. Our neighbors have something to teach us.
· You are precious in God’s sight and ours. Christ the King Members
· God bless our neighbors.
· “Good Exercise for the Heart: Reach out and help your neighbor.” Mark Twain
· Loving our neighbors asks us to know our neighbor.
· People of Christ the King – Partnering with Police, Firefighters and you, our neighbors.
· We are dedicated to serving Jesus Christ and introducing you to him.
· Join us in the Journey
A few years ago, when we visited our neighbors, like the businesses, schools, and assisted living residences the word that opened our conversations was, partner. Our neighbors were suspicious of us, curious of our intentions and what we wanted and why we were visiting. When we clearly said that we wanted to partner with them and not necessarily do something for them there was an exchange, an energy of peace. We wanted to get to know our neighbor.
Evangelism, sharing the good news of God in Christ Jesus is that paradox of simple and complicated. It takes time and we believe that God shows up and works through us. God is faithful. Thank you for your creative efforts in getting the ball rolling. Like our VBS theme, On the Case!, we too will keep searching, investigating and discovering. So keep praying, keep listening and talk to each other. What simple unified message would we like to share with our neighbor?
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
