July/August 2021

PASTOR’S MESSAGE

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Grace and Peace to you.

Summer is Here: Hot! Hot! Hot!

With the start of July, summer is indeed, here. Beach time, picnic time, sleeping in on vacation days in these lazy hazy sometimes crazy days.

As I thought about many people travelling for vacation, I wondered what it would be like if God and the church took a vacation. What if our prayers were answered with an “Out of office” response? Or if a call to the church office from someone in need was greeted with a taped message, “ I am sorry. We are closed for vacation. Please call back after three weeks.”

The church needs always to be pressing on, and God’s care never takes a day off. Like the Energizer bunny, God keeps going and going and going. And the church, too, is always pressing on.

We all need our time of rest and renewal, so the church operates in summer like a relay race, with staff passing the baton back and forth, taking turns vacationing, enjoying times of renewal while others hold down the fort.

We are all challenged to remember that the Christian life is never on vacation. We may take a break from meetings or choir rehearsals, but our discipleship is always running in the background.

Our lazy day in the sun may provide the chance to share God’s love with someone – a waitress for whom we offer to pray when we say grace; a frazzled mother in the airport who needs someone to offer her child paper and pencil; a table mate who desperately wants someone who will listen.

Whatever the need, Christ calls us to offer the love of God wherever we are and whenever it is needed.

Do take time to relax this summer and enjoy time off. But as you do, take a moment to give thanks to God for the divine love that surrounds us every day.

Enjoy your Summer.

Rev. Perucy N. Butiku

Coverage Pastor