I know time is a fuzzy concept these days as normal routines have been upended. So I hope sending out the church email a day early isn’t too confusing. I promise it’s for a good reason.
For many years, the first Thursday in May has been recognized as a National Day of Prayer. And since tomorrow is the first Thursday in May, I wanted to invite you to a special online prayer service organized by Pastor Frank, the interim minister at First Baptist LaGrange (you might remember him from our joint Lenten services with Christ Community Church last year). He’s asked several ministers in the Chicago area to offer short prayers as we come together to lift up the needs of the world.
The service will take place tomorrow, Thursday, May 7 at noon. You’re invited to join by going to https://www.fbclagrange.com/.
As the world figures out how to move forward, it’s important for us to come together to work and pray that a more just and peaceful world will emerge from this pandemic.
On the threshold of change, when we’re faced with the uncertainties as well as possibilities of a new reality, I often think of Moses’ words to the Israelites as they were about to enter the Promise Land found in Deuteronomy 30:11-20. It’s one of my favorite scripture passages—we even had it read at our wedding. In it Moses lays out two paths forward. “Today I set before you life and success or death and disaster.” The way that leads to life and success is marked by loving God and keeping the commandments. Death and disaster come when we let our hearts stray, and we begin to worship other gods. In the end, Moses entreats the people to “Choose life so that you and your descendants may life.”
So as we move forward as a church, know we will do so with prayerful consideration. We will seek to choose life and live into the fullness of God’s love. I pray our leaders will do the same.
In Peace & Prayer,
Pastor Annette