Notes from the Head Elder

Simple truths

This week we celebrated VBS Sunday. The theme this year was “Mighty Fortress” and the kids did a great job of sharing the theme in today’s service. Pastor Bill preached on the lessons taught to the kids each day during VBS, and I needed to hear that message today.

The stories told to the VBS kids are similar to the stories shared with our Sunday school kids. When our kids were young we read many of the same stories to them. We had Arch books from CPH and would read them to our kids. 

Simple messages resonate with all of us. You may remember these foundational stories as well. Pastor Bill shared with us during the adult Bible class that some of the lessons used in VBS and read today are not in the lectionary. We were surprised that the battle of Jericho is not in the lectionary.

Here is a recap of Pastor’s message to us:

  1. Shout. God is mighty. Using the story of how Jericho’s wall falls from Joshua 6: 1-20.
  2. Fear Not.  The story of King Hezekiah with the Lord destroying 185,000 of the enemy from 2 Kings 18-19.
  3. God’s word is true and powerful. The story of King Josiah and finding the Book of the Law from  2 Kings 22.
  4. Jesus comes to save. The story of Jesus entering Jerusalem from Luke 19:28-40.
  5. Jesus wins the victory. The crucifixion account from Luke 23-24.

The simple point to all of these stories was that we, by ourselves, cannot win the victory.

  • Starting with Jericho with the trumpets and shouting it was all the Lord’s doing.
  • Jesus came unlike the expectation for a victorious king would have been in the minds of the people and us. He alone suffered for our sins and won the victory.

I needed to hear the message that I am not able to do everything on my own. I need the Lord in my corner.

We need assistance on the Board of Elders to carry out our ministry of caring for all of you. I knew all of the stories read today. The simple message was to pray and leave it in God’s hand and that is what I am doing.

Next week we are all looking forward to two baptisms, one in each service. This is a sign of a growing church. Come and witness the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. See you next Sunday.

-Glen Leavens, Head Elder