Oktoberfest & Thanks for the Thanks 20 October 2021 Tick, tock, tick, tock. Do you hear it? . . . . The countdown to fun is on! We’re only three days away from the COS Family OKTOBERFEST! Yahoo. From 4-7 PM this Saturday at our beautiful 411 Palmetto Road campus, a whole bunch of fun awaits: bounce-ables for the kids, …
Beach 13 October 2021 The beach. Cashing in one of my vacation weekends, LuAnne and I spent two very quick but enjoyable days on a Florida beach this past weekend before we needed to shoot home for a funeral. I’m grateful to be an American with a job that offers vacation time. On vacation, my family feels we honor a …
Seeing God’s Word in Action 6 October 2021 Dear Faith Friends, So many of you enrich your lives by asking this question: “Where did I see God today?” Sharing such insights at the supper table or at the end of the day is a positive game-changer. Let’s spin the question just a bit: “At worship this past weekend at our …
Chloe Brown 29 September 2021 An abusive earthly father was discouraging his daughter, harping on her weight and her worth. But the daughter hears her heavenly Father declaring her worthy and wonderful. Weight gain during Covid brings worry. Until she remembers that God’s steady love isn’t conditional on our normal life body fluctuations. A young lady whose panic attacks increase …
Springs of Life Worship, Octoberfest & Nora’s Porch 22 September 2021 Looking forward. It makes a difference knowing we have fun events coming to which we can look forward. Today, my pleasure is to share three of them with you: October 3 worship at Palmetto Road, Octoberfest on October 23, and Nora’s Porch. Mark your calendars now! First, in just …
Science—Friend or Foe? 15 September 2021 Growing up as a kid, I remember one time when some friends really made me feel uncomfortable for my belief in dinosaurs. According to their faith teachings about how time worked in the Bible and since the Bible never talked about dinosaurs, they never could have existed. Plus, since they were taught to interpret …
God’s Work, Our Hands 8 September 2021 How would you describe what it means to be a Lutheran? In the first 10 seconds of response, one might hear the following descriptors: Jesus’ welcome, grace, great music, Martin Luther, law and gospel, no more indulgences or works-righteousness, word and sacrament, or preachers with corny jokes. But lately, one might also associate …
Four Letter Words 1 September 2021 Dear Friend in Faith, What four-letter words pop into your head? A few naughty ones? Or ones that bring a smile? F-o-o-d? G-o-l-f? B-e-er? W-i-n-e? H-u-g-s? One of you pointed out with a smile that some Michiganders might think O-h-i-o is a four-letter dirty word. After Sunday’s sermon, several of you shared that you’re …
Help for Haiti 25 August 2021 Dear Friends in Faith, “God’s got the whole world in God’s hands!” What a fantastically encouraging song we sang growing up. Good news that God’s got all of us—around the world—in God’s loving hands. God’s got you and me, in Georgia (or wherever you are reading this.) God’s got Afghans who have left or …
Help 18 August 2021 Dear Friends in Faith, Oh my gosh. Which world issue of concern should this WFW highlight? The heart-breaking chaos in Afghanistan? The Haiti earthquake bringing more death and homelessness followed by tropical storm Grace? The wait times in our local hospital emergency rooms and continued deaths, sickness and worries around the Delta variant of the coronavirus? …