“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’” – Luke 15:20-24a
The bible is full of stories and metaphors in which God is represented by a paternal figure. This juxtaposition works both ways; it serves as an ideal for earthly fathers to model themselves after, and it points us to just how endlessly wise, loving and powerful our God is.
Life is messy, and just like no mother can live up to God’s standards, no father can, either. But for those of us with fathers that are present, that love us unconditionally, that push us to be our better selves, that show us the difference between right and wrong, that do their best to keep us safe and provided for, our fathers have given us something invaluable: a small taste of what God is like.
So thank you, dads, grandpas, uncles, and anyone else who was like a father to any of us. Thank you for being patient with us even when we didn’t deserve it. Thank you for supporting us when we failed. Thank you for giving us your very best when you didn’t have to. And we thank our Heavenly Father for the gift of fatherly love.
Sermon Sneak Peek
Until his ascension into heaven, Jesus’s disciples expected him to “restore the kingdom of Israel.” But Jesus did not sacrifice himself just for the tribes of Israel and Judah; he gave his body and his life for the salvation of the whole world. Not only that, he wants us to be part of this mission.
This week we go all the way back to the beginning of Acts 1. What are Jesus’s last words to his disciples, and what do they tell us about the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives today?
Stay tuned…
Diaconal Ministry
If anyone in the church is falling behind on their bills because of the current economic disruption, we are ready to help. Students and recent alumni, that includes you! If your income has diminished and you are having trouble with rent, for instance, please let us know.
To request help, please take a photo of your overdue bill, so that the image shows the amount overdue, how many days late the bill is, the contact information for whoever should be paid, and the account number. Then email that image, along with your request, to diaconalministry@livingwatercrc.ppchurch.wpenginepowered.com.
The Diaconal Ministry Team will then evaluate the requests we receive, and as appropriate may contact service providers or pay some overdue bills directly on behalf of Living Water people. That is one way that we hope to support one another with justice and mercy.
– Jason Stansbury, on behalf of the Living Water CRC Diaconal Ministry Team
Opening Church
We are planning on returning to in-person worship as soon as the pandemic reaches containment stage. Please pray for God’s guidance and wisdom in the decision process.
Events
- Sunday, June 21 10:00am: Sunday Worship
- Wednesday, June 24 2:00pm: Women’s Bible Study6:30pm: Overflow Gathering (Contact Anne Geiges for details)
- Thursday, June 25 7:00pm: Prayer Meeting
- Friday, June 26 4:00pm: LWYG Bible Study pw: lwyg
All meetings will be held on Zoom. Click on the links to join!
College Bible Study/Discipleship Class
Pastor David would like to start a college students’ Bible study/discipleship class this summer. Please let Pastor David know if you are interested!
Service Opportunities
Living Water continues to seek people to serve in leadership. The following are in need of volunteers:
- Welcoming Ministry
- Outreach Ministry
- College Small Group Leaders for the Fall
Please contact a leader if you feel called to step up!
Online Office Hours with Pastor David
If you would like to meet with Pastor David, you can contact him at pastordavid@livingwatercrc.ppchurch.wpenginepowered.com to set up a virtual meeting. Pastor David would love to get to know all who comes to Living Water!
Some Things to Pray About This Week
- For justice and healing for those hurt by discriminatory practices of law enforcement in the US
- For the softening of hearts and opening of ears of authority figures
- For wisdom in the consideration of resuming in-person worship
- For new graduates navigating this difficult time
- For those struggling with finances
- For students who may not be able to go home for the summer
- For the flourishing of the new Diaconal Ministry
- For the world to seek God’s face and ask for forgiveness and healing
We encourage each of you to come to Living Water’s weekly Zoom prayer meeting on Thursday nights at 7pm!
See you all Sunday.
Many blessings,
LWCRC