The staff at LCLC has gathered together and begun their training to care for and teach the many children who will take part in Summer camp. JJ and Sam are both a part of the staff this year which is a good sign that we are doing our part supporting young leaders in the Church. Both Elma and Lancaster have supported these two along their journey. One part of staff training is building lines of communication between the staff. Helping them to work together as well as possible so that they can do the best Job possible. I think that we can all agree that communication is a fundamental part of the human experience and plays a role in the highs and lows of our lives. How many workplace struggles are a result of challenging communication. You can even see this play out on the sidelines of a football game when Allen and Diggs started arguing on the sidelines this year you could tell that the end was near for Diggs time in Buffalo. Again communication is fundamental to all the things we do with others. With that being said we need to remember that communication is also central to our relationship with God and the living out of our call. Jesus spoke often about prayer and regularly attempted to find time to pray. It was Jesus who taught us how to pray.
Matthew 6: 5-13
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
In prayer we can bring our hopes and fears to God. We can seek guidance, or direction. Through our prayer we offer forgiveness and seek forgiveness. It is not a performance, we don’t need to use specific words or phrases, we simply tank to God, and listen with our hearts. It is also something that we develop and grow in, just as any communication in any relationship. I encourage you to pray daily, to grow in your prayer life to find new ways to pray.
At both Elma and Lancaster we will be offering a new way to pray and join in the prayers of the Church. We will have magnet boards (the Narthex at Elma, the Memorial lounge at Lancaster)and index cards, simply write a prayer concern or celebration on a card and put it on the board. They will be collected during the passing of the peace and read as one of the prayer petitions. When you hear “Lord in your mercy” and respond with “hear our prayer” you will know that it is your prayer being uplifted with the others. Again grow in your communication with God, pray without ceasing.
Peace, Pastor Jamie
Matthew 6: 5-13
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
In prayer we can bring our hopes and fears to God. We can seek guidance, or direction. Through our prayer we offer forgiveness and seek forgiveness. It is not a performance, we don’t need to use specific words or phrases, we simply tank to God, and listen with our hearts. It is also something that we develop and grow in, just as any communication in any relationship. I encourage you to pray daily, to grow in your prayer life to find new ways to pray.
At both Elma and Lancaster we will be offering a new way to pray and join in the prayers of the Church. We will have magnet boards (the Narthex at Elma, the Memorial lounge at Lancaster)and index cards, simply write a prayer concern or celebration on a card and put it on the board. They will be collected during the passing of the peace and read as one of the prayer petitions. When you hear “Lord in your mercy” and respond with “hear our prayer” you will know that it is your prayer being uplifted with the others. Again grow in your communication with God, pray without ceasing.
Peace, Pastor Jamie
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