Dearly beloved,

This weekend we celebrate the 4th of July and Independence day. Many will gather with friends and family, have cookouts and watch fireworks. It is often a very festive day, particularly if the weather cooperates.

Our theme for worship this coming Sunday is “Community”. We are all a part of a variety of communities – whether it be with friends & family, work or school, our neighborhoods, towns, states, etc. While we celebrate the Independence of our country, we acknowledge that we are not just individuals, independent from one another. We are really “inter-dependent”. We need each other. We need community. Just as we discovered during the pandemic, we rely on essential workers in ways that we take for granted. We do not live in a vacuum.

God created us to be in community. In Genesis 2, God says that it is not good for us to be alone. We often view this passage through the lens of marriage, but I contend that is much more about the gift of community. And as Paul states in I Corinthians 12, we are the Body of Christ and we need all parts of the body to live.

So, come and join us for worship as we seek to live into the giftedness of community!

Peace in Christ, Pastor Jen