“Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, Serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” (I Peter 4:10)
Dear FPC faithful,
Summer is here and so the brighter, warmer days arrive and hopefully with them some time to down-shift for time with friends and family to reflect on the transitions of life. My prayer for each of you this summer is that you get to carve out a bit of time for yourself, doing those things that bring you joy and sustain you through the year. With the goal of some intentional Sabbath time for myself, I will be reading the book that our Christian Education Coordinator Eric Hearst is inviting us all to read this summer, Wrestling with Rest, by Nathan T. Stucky. On the evening of August 26, the author will then come to FPC to talk about his book.
Summer is a wonderful time to drink in all that God has blessed us with, holding onto it in a spirit of gratitude. Logically, we may also consider reallocating our time and energy once the fall rolls around. I try to actively ask myself: how can I balance all the things I care about in a way that honors each of them and still keep me, at the very least, intact, and even better, thriving?
Here are some questions I offer to you for consideration this summer as they relate to your participation in the life of the church:
- What do I know how to do/do well?
- What do I enjoy doing? How do I enjoy serving?
- What would I like to help make better?
- What gives me energy?
- What sort of help may God be calling me to do for our faith community?
Throughout the summer my preaching will focus on spiritual gifts, some of these abilities are given to us by God and some of them we can work on to shape within ourselves through spiritual discipline. Amid the hazy, lazy days of summer, don’t forget to come and worship with us so that your spirit is fed, and you are connected to those who care for you.
Blessings and Peace,
Rev. Amy Lincoln