FEBRUARY 2026 NEWS FROM ANDREW AND PATRIZIA

Dear fellow believers who meet at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church,
Greetings from Fondi. This last month has been rather busy and also quite stressful at times.
It has been characterized by being “birthday month” in our family as well as being quite stressful, as Manoj was taken to hospital on the 9th of February to remove a tumour in his head and was operated on twice, on the 10th to remove the tumour and on the 12th again to install a surgical drain. He was fine after the first operation, but really tired and with various side effects that lasted days after his second operation.
Before I continue talking about Manoj, let's talk about what took place before the 9th when Lorenzo (his medical doctor) and Bianca took him to be admitted to the Neuromed clinic.
At the beginning of the month, I was up in Milan preaching and reaching some Bangladeshis with the Gospel.
After my return from Milan, I managed to go to Sperlonga on the 7th and take some evangelistic booklets to Sperlonga Alta (the historical part of Sperlonga up above the sea). I walked lots that day and discovered a wonderful, decent-priced pizzeria to take Patrizia to the next day for a quick birthday lunch before our Sunday afternoon worship service (photo on the next page, whilst we have the seafood entrées on our plates and await the arrival or our pizzas).
The following week after Patrizia's birthday was busy with Manoj going to the hospital and preparing for Marco's birthday celebration at my in-laws' place, as well as our usual activities, such as preparing for and teaching my online history lessons, as well as Patrizia's activities with the Indian women. Miriam, Marco's girlfriend, arrived on Valentine's Day, and the 15th (Marco's birthday proper), we went to Patrizia's parents' place.
I know for sure that we have been to Molise to visit Manoj a couple of times this month, as well as visiting him in his home after his discharge, I just can't remember the exact dates of when it took place. What I do know for sure is that tomorrow, Tuesday, the 3rd of March, my little brother's birthday, is, Lord willing, going to be a long day as Manoj is due to have his stitches taken out (he was discharged last Monday) and also due to have a visit with an oncologist. It would seem that we will have another complicated month ahead of us. Please pray that it might be possible to organise to have future oncological visits and oncological treatment (probably radiotherapy to try to prevent the tumour from returning) in the province of Latina. The Neuromed centre in the province of Isernia in Molise was excellent, but it is just too taxing time-wise and financially (as well as tiring) to have to take him several times a week for a month or more of regular post-operation treatment (to try to impede the return of his tumour). Please pray for the bureaucracy involved in transferring from one hospital to another (in another region!).
Manoj is also eager to resume the conversion of his residence permit from “special protection” (a type of asylum) to a regular work permit, allowing him to travel to India in June to visit his family. So much on and so complicated to help him with all these matters, considering that most men in the church have a job to be at in the mornings when he is to be taken for regular treatments in the near future.  Please pray for this whole situation.
Last week, on the 24th, our oldest son, Alan, turned 20 years old, and we celebrated his birthday during our home group meeting. Lorenzo, the young man from Capratica, was also present at the Home Group meeting. The topic was Luke 19:1-10! Please pray for him, he often comes to our home because he is lonely and because Alan helps him prepare for his school tests in view of his University Entrance Diploma exams, which are due to take place in a few months. Thanks for your prayers for him; he needs Jesus.

This month, we have also been working on obtaining a summer job for Marco (he has many financial requests, including funds for his trips to go and see his girlfriend in Northern Italy), so it is high time that he works during the holidays to pay his way for these extra expenses. It would seem that he has found a seasonal job in Sperlonga, which is to begin on weekends at Easter time and become full-time on the 1st of June. We, as parents, are paying for his driving school. He has just enrolled, and it will cost approximately 1200 euros! for him to be able to obtain his driving license (car license). It was approximately 1000 euros when Alan obtained his own driving license – Marco will be on a restricted license for 3 years (new law), whilst Alan's restrictions lasted just 1 year.

Last but not least, on Saturday, in the midst of many thoughts relating to Manoj's immediate future (and his needs), I was able to go with Mario to Sperlonga, and whilst there we went to Sperlonga Alta and were able to give out many tracts. In “Sperlonga bassa” (at sea level), I was able to finally meet Nella, a retired lady who used to be his client over 20 years ago when Mario and Tina used to sell clothes and other products in markets in various parts of the province of Latina. It was good that Nella had finally reached the Gospel. Mario also spoke to some JWs today and explained our Evangelical perspective on the end times.
On Saturday afternoon, Patrizia and I were able to go out on our bicycles to an adjacent pleasant rural area give out my last Frammenti di Luce calendar to Paolo, nephew of an ex-classmate of mine. I remember him when he was a child in the 80s. Now he is a builder.
We wonder if this will be the last year we get to give out the FRAMMENTI DI LUCE calendars. We received them for free from Kurt Jost, a dear Swiss missionary in Northern Italy, and reached significant parts of Seggiano and Sperlonga with them. Unfortunately, Kurt now has cancer. Please pray for him. Please pray also for Frank King III, a US missionary and founding pastor of a church in Northern Italy, a Bible Church where I preached in September 2024. He also has cancer. Please pray for him!
 
Please do keep Sperlonga (photo of Mario talking to the retired lady in Sperlonga on the next page) and Manoj in your prayers, and also our two boys' future and safety in your prayers.

Thanks for your regular prayers and financial support.
Yours in Christ,
Andrew and Patrizia Diprose with Alan and Marco

If you are looking for a deeper dive into our Acts sermons, please check out Ben and David's Sermon Secrets podcast on youtube.

God Is
Compassionate, kind, merciful.
God is
Gracious, loving, and forgiving.
God is
Eternal, wholly other, fully present.
God is
Father, Creator, and Holy Judge.
God is.
God calls
Patiently, lovingly, and graciously.
God calls
Knowingly, fervently, effectively.
God is
Sovereign, Perfect, and True.
God is.
Will we?
Will we
Worship, love, and follow?
Will we
Forgive, trust, and encourage?
Will we
Admonish, evangelize, and disciple?
Will we?
He is.
He does.

2026 Gospel Reading Challenge

We are inviting the community of St. Paul’s to try a unique reading plan for 2026. The idea is to immerse our hearts, minds, and souls deeply in the gospels. This should take each of us about 9 minutes per day (it might be a little longer in Luke, where the good doctor uses a lot more words). The blessing of this approach is to see how Jesus interacted with:
· Old Testament Prophecies
· His family
· Religious leaders
· People in pain
· His followers
· The evil empire of the day
The plan is designed to take you through all four Gospels in a thoughtful, meditative rhythm. Each chapter of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is read not just once, but repeated over three days. On the first three days, you’ll read Matthew 1, 2, and 3. After that, you shift forward by one chapter every three days—so next you’ll read chapters 2, 3, and 4 for three days, then 3, 4, and 5, and so on. This gradual sliding pattern allows you to reflect on overlapping sections, reinforcing themes while progressing forward. In total, the 89 chapters will take you approximately 8 months, or 234 days.
The plan is perfect for communal spiritual growth. It promotes reflection and deep familiarity. By repeating a set of three chapters over three days, you reinforce what you read. The gradual shift, one chapter at a time, allows you to see how the narrative flows while maintaining the familiar context. It also makes the pace manageable—about three chapters every three days—and offers a meditative, layered approach. It’s ideal for personal or group study, focusing on both repetition and progress.
Most importantly, it should help us embed the way of Jesus in our lives. I encourage you to start each reading asking the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to learn, what he wants you to change, and what you should share from your reading with others. Finally, don’t worry if you get behind. The plan is not a mandate or a reason to feel like a failure! Just restart at your convenience and keep going!

We will have hard copies of the full plan in the Gathering Space as well as on the website at
https://stpaulslive.com/2026intensivegospelreadingplan

The first 14 days are below:
2026 Gospel Reading Plan

Day	Reading
1	Matthew 1, Matthew 2, Matthew 3
2	Matthew 1, Matthew 2, Matthew 3
3	Matthew 1, Matthew 2, Matthew 3
4	Matthew 2, Matthew 3, Matthew 4
5	Matthew 2, Matthew 3, Matthew 4
6	Matthew 2, Matthew 3, Matthew 4
7	Matthew 2, Matthew 3, Matthew 4
8	Matthew 2, Matthew 3, Matthew 4
9	Matthew 3, Matthew 4, Matthew 5
10	Matthew 3,  Matthew 4,  Matthew 5
11	Matthew 3, Matthew 4,  Matthew 5
12	Matthew 4, Matthew 5, Matthew 6
13	Matthew 4, Matthew 5, Matthew 6
14	Matthew 4, Matthew 5, Matthew 6

The St. Paul's Mom Group has decided on a name and logo. Keep a lookout for our new Grace and Giggles logo for more mom group news!

In a recent discussion about our new moms group, someone suggested that it might not be clear what a moms group is or what is involved. So this post is an attempt to give a deeper explanation of what we hope to be and do for all moms in the Maumee area.

We hope to help moms with kids in the 0-5 age range connect, create a local support system, and build each other up. We are open to and welcoming of all moms.

To start this group, we used the well-known MomCo curriculum, formerly known as Moms of Preschoolers or MOPS. This year's theme is Wild Hope,  content specifically designed for moms in a Biblical framework. Older kids are welcome to attend and sit with their mom during the sessions.

A typical meeting involves:
- Signing in you and your kids  
- Getting the kids settled in our nursery  
- Refreshments  
- Welcome activity as a group or in small groups  
- Reviewing the Wild Hope video and lesson  
- Discussing the lesson or theme and moms' struggles  
- Prayer  
- Craft, activity, or deeper discussions.

There is also content for preschool-age kids in the 0-5 age range that goes along with the curriculum for moms. Older kids are welcome and can sit with their moms during the meeting.

Our next meetings are scheduled for Saturdays, June 28th and July 26th. We hope to see you there! Come as you are and bring friends!

We are trying some new things at St. Paul's Lutheran Church this summer. Help us strengthen and build up our community by joining us for some fun small-group activities for the whole family. Feel free to bring your friends and extended family along.

Grace and Giggles is our new moms' group. What is a mom's group, you might ask? Our group is for moms with kids in the 0-5 age range. Since this season of life often feels like we are in the trenches, we hope to create a support network for moms with kids in this age range and build friendships and community that will last a lifetime for the moms and the kids participating as we deepen our faith together. For this year, our content is based on MomCo, formerly Moms of Preschoolers or MOPS, Wild Hope. This content provides the framework and discussion, which is practical information designed for moms in a biblical framework. We are open to all moms in the area and hope you will join us for our next meetings on Saturdays, June 26th and July 27th, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am.

A typical meeting involves:
- Signing in you and your kids  
- Getting the kids settled in our nursery  
- Refreshments  
- Welcome activity as a group or in small groups  
- Reviewing the Wild Hope video and lesson  
- Discussing the lesson or theme and moms' struggles  
- Prayer  
- Craft, activity, or deeper discussions

Family Fun Nights start on Fridays, June 6th and July 11th, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm for all families with kids of all ages. St. Paul's hopes to build stronger fellowship among our families in all seasons of life and encourage more local families to join us in building a stronger support network for all families in the Maumee area.

Our Men's Bible Study and Prayer Group explores God's word together, allowing them to learn and grow with one another, to be challenged and encourage one another to live for something larger than ourselves. We have coffee and donuts. All men are welcome! We meet every first and third Saturday from 8:00 am to 9:30 am in the Gathering Space.

Reflecting on Pastor David's blog posts and sermons over the last year about the importance of community and the growing pains of starting new groups, not only are these groups needed by many of us at St. Paul's, but there is a paucity of groups like this in the local area. It is so hard to build a community and make friends as an adult. The foundation of these groups starts with our current members. If we strengthen the community and fellowship opportunities we have, then more people will follow. If one of these groups sounds interesting to you, please give it a try and feel free to bring friends. All you need to do is show up!

The Scriptures emphasize the importance of community and togetherness. God said, “It is not good for man to dwell alone.” While He was speaking of marriage, it does apply to the other relationships in our lives.  I recently saw this outline and thought it well states the Biblical and common sense case for pursuing relationships with others.
1. We Are Made for Community

• Genesis 2:18 – “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
  • From the beginning, God designed people to be in relationships, not isolation.

2. Encouraging and Supporting One Another

• Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
  • The Bible stresses the importance of gathering together and supporting each other in faith.
• Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls, one can help the other up.”
  • Life is easier when people work together and support each other.

3. Unity in Christ

• 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 – “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
  • The Church is described as one body with many members, emphasizing the need for unity among believers.
• Colossians 3:13-14 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
  • Love is the key to true unity and togetherness.

4. Serving One Another

• Galatians 6:2 – “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
  • We are called to help and support each other in difficult times.
• Acts 2:42-47 – Describes the early church as a community that shared everything, ate together, and supported each other in faith.

5. Hospitality and Kindness

• Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
• Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

Conclusion
The Bible teaches that true community is built on love, humility, service, and unity. Whether in church, family, or friendships, believers are called to live in harmony, encourage one another, and work together for the glory of God.
Building stronger community relationships takes intentionality, kindness, and consistency. Here are some practical ways, based on biblical principles, to strengthen your sense of community and togetherness:
1. Be Present and Engage Regularly

• Hebrews 10:25 – “Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.”
• Make it a priority to attend church, community gatherings, or small groups.
• Regular interaction builds trust and deepens relationships.

2. Show Genuine Care and Love

• Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
• Take time to listen to others, ask about their lives, and follow up on concerns.
• Small acts of kindness, such as sending a message, visiting, or lending a helping hand, strengthen bonds.

3. Serve Others and Carry Burdens

• Galatians 6:2 – “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
• Offer practical help when people are struggling—whether it’s emotional, financial, or physical support.
• Volunteer in church or local community efforts.

4. Forgive and Pursue Peace

• Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.”
• Conflict is inevitable, but resolving it with grace and forgiveness strengthens relationships.
• Avoid gossip and negativity—focus on unity and peace.

5. Be Hospitable

• Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers.”
• Invite people over for meals, coffee, or just good conversation.
• Being welcoming and creating a warm atmosphere makes others feel valued.

6. Pray for and With Others

• James 5:16 – “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
• Ask people how you can pray for them and follow up.
• Pray together—there’s power in community prayer.

7. Encourage and Uplift Others

• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.”
• Speak words of encouragement, affirm others, and celebrate their successes.
• Be a source of hope and positivity.

8. Be Intentional About Building Relationships

• Make a habit of reaching out to new people and forming deeper friendships.
• Find ways to connect—join a ministry, participate in group activities, or engage in shared interests.

Final Thought
True community takes effort, but it’s worth it. When we invest in relationships with love, patience, and service, we reflect God’s design for unity.
 
The Bible teaches that true community is built on love, humility, service, and unity. Whether in church, family, or friendships, believers are called to live in harmony, encourage one another, and work together for the glory of God.
Building stronger community relationships takes intentionality, kindness, and consistency. Here are some practical ways, based on biblical principles, to strengthen your sense of community and togetherness:
1. Be Present and Engage Regularly

• Hebrews 10:25 – “Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.”
• Make it a priority to attend church, community gatherings, or small groups.
• Regular interaction builds trust and deepens relationships.

2. Show Genuine Care and Love

• Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
• Take time to listen to others, ask about their lives, and follow up on concerns.
• Small acts of kindness, such as sending a message, visiting, or lending a helping hand, strengthen bonds.

3. Serve Others and Carry Burdens

• Galatians 6:2 – “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
• Offer practical help when people are struggling—whether it’s emotional, financial, or physical support.
• Volunteer in church or local community efforts.

4. Forgive and Pursue Peace

• Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.”
• Conflict is inevitable, but resolving it with grace and forgiveness strengthens relationships.
• Avoid gossip and negativity—focus on unity and peace.

5. Be Hospitable

• Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers.”
• Invite people over for meals, coffee, or just good conversation.
• Being welcoming and creating a warm atmosphere makes others feel valued.

6. Pray for and With Others

• James 5:16 – “Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
• Ask people how you can pray for them and follow up.
• Pray together—there’s power in community prayer.

7. Encourage and Uplift Others

• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up.”
• Speak words of encouragement, affirm others, and celebrate their successes.
• Be a source of hope and positivity.

8. Be Intentional About Building Relationships

• Make a habit of reaching out to new people and forming deeper friendships.
• Find ways to connect—join a ministry, participate in group activities, or engage in shared interests.

Final Thought
True community takes effort, but it’s worth it. When we invest in relationships with love, patience, and service, we reflect God’s design for unity.
 

Reflecting on Kacie's blog post "Just Show Up" last week, how often in your life do you remember just showing up and that just showing up made a difference for you or someone else whether it was going to church or some other event in your life?

Kacie's blog post resonated with me because so often as a parent especially when everything we need to get going seems like so much effort; someone wakes up grumpy; someone is sick; or I only got an hour or two of sleep; or a combination of it all. Often, the choice to show up anywhere seems pretty clear, "not today," despite my best intentions of wanting to be there. There are many Sundays we don't make it to church because of one of the above reasons and it seems like it is just too challenging to deal with or we are already running late that day. Then there are some Sundays when the above reasons seem like a convenient excuse but I feel compelled to get in the car and go even if that means we are running late.

At our mom group on Saturday, we had one mom show up with her almost five-year-old and her one-and-a-half in tow. She apologized profusely for showing up late and commented that they were in the survival season of life as we showed her the nursery. I told her, yes, that is exactly where we are at too, and that this is why we started the group. I wanted to hug her and thank her for just showing up because I was so glad someone did. I was also impressed that she got her kids out on a rainy Saturday to attend our group. I introduced myself and she asked what I did and I told her I was the secretary. She wanted to know more about St. Paul's and the people here. I know I often talk about how blessed I feel to be working here and I proceeded to tell her how wonderful the people are, but I also realized it is hard to describe just how welcoming and loving a congregation we have here is.

What I didn't do was describe all the times when I deeply needed the fellowship and how just showing up to church made a difference because of the various connections I have made here. In particular, I remember getting some really hard, stressful news a couple of months ago. Going to church that Sunday was the last thing I wanted to do, but I knew it was what I needed to do to move forward. We got here about 20 minutes late, and all three of us had woken up in bad moods, but somehow coming through the doors being greeted by familiar faces, having friends to sit with, older kids that make my kids feel seen or like family,  made a difference and was exactly what we needed that day.

So thank you Kacie for your article, for your kiddos that make my kids feel welcome and seen, and everyone here for reminding me that sometimes just showing up is intentional and makes a huge difference.

 

I asked my mom once how she and my dad found it in them to drag us, kids, to church every Sunday. I know I complained a lot and I’m sure my brothers did too. It had to be hard, it’s hard for me now with my kids.

Her response was, “We didn’t always have it in us, sometimes we struggled."


She explained, when she didn’t want to go my dad would step up and encourage her and she would do the same for him, always supporting each other. They did this because they knew it was important to show up and teach their kids about God, even if they were on the struggle bus. When I was a teenager, the last thing I wanted to do was wake up and go to the 8 am service, but I did because my parents set a precedent in our house.

 When I moved out on my own, I stopped attending church. I only went back when I moved away from everyone I knew and found myself lonely and a carrying strong feeling of missing something. I found myself praying a lot about how I was feeling. Prayer brought me back to church and the feeling of missing something drifted away. I came to realize I was missing my relationship with God.

 As an adult, I am thankful my parents encouraged each other and made me go to church every Sunday. I hope someday my kids look back on their experience being part of the church and have a thankful heart as well.

I always tell my kids life would be boring if we were all the same. God created us in his image, each unique, with different talents. Some of us are teachers, or preachers, some are evangelists, cooks, servers, or caregivers. We are unique because God has a specific plan for our lives and a job for us to do in the church.

1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it”.

Think of us as individual snowflakes, each unique, no two the same. When all the snowflakes stick together, they create a snowman. Just as each of us is unique, when we stick together, we make the body of the church. It takes all of us!

What do people compliment you on and say you do well?

 Once you find it, ask yourself, how does God want me to use my talent in the church?

If you do an internet search for what is my God-given talent, there are tons of resources to help you identify yours.

Articles about finding or rekindling your spiritual gifts

https://faithisland.org/faith/how-to-identify-your-god-given-talents/
 
https://www.christiansforimpact.org/blog/using-your-god-given-gifts-amp-talents-to-help-others

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/have-you-buried-your-gifts

Gift tests that can show you where your God-given talents are
https://giftstest.com/

https://www.freeshapetest.com/

What does Burt Reynolds have to do with 16th Century poet/priest John Donne?

Naturally speaking, not much. But, Reynolds filmed a movie called The End with Dom DeLuise where he finds himself out to sea without a life preserver. He starts to swim for a distant shore while making a series of offers to God.

“I want to live!” He cries out.

“I can never make it. Help me Lord, please. Save me and I’ll be a better father, a better man, a better everything. All I ask is to make me a better swimmer.”

“Let me live and I promise to obey every one of the 10 commandments.”

“I’ll be honest in business. I’ll give you 50% of everything I make. No one gives 50% and I am talking gross, God.”

As he gets closer to shore and sees his chances of surviving increased, he changes his offer.

I’ll see my parents more often. No more cheating in business, after I sell those 10 acres in the desert.

 I’ll start donating that 10% right away.

I know I said 50%, but it will start with 10%.

John Donne, born in 1572 was a brilliant poet AND a profound spiritual thinker whose life was marked by a transition from skepticism and promiscuity to deep faith. His life is best known for a scene similar to Burt Reynolds’ character where he also thought he was dying. But, unlike the character Sonny in The End, Donne used his near death to write words which we still quote today.

He composed Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, where he famously wrote, “And
therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee” and "No man is an
island, entire of itself," emphasizing the interconnectedness of humanity and the need for
spiritual solidarity.

He had returned to London during an outbreak of the plague while nearly all those capable of fleeing were doing so. He was an Anglican priest and felt his duty was to mimic Jesus by
embracing human suffering rather than fleeing it. I admire his passion to dive in where others ran away!

John Donne's life is a testament to the transformative power of faith. His journey from doubt to devotion, from sensuality to spirituality, continues to inspire readers with its honesty and
depth. Through his works, Donne offers a timeless exploration of the human soul's quest for
God and redemption.

So, why does this matter to you?
Author, Phillip Yancey has worked to reformat Donne’s writings into modern English in the
book, Undone. It is the modern version of Devotions upon Emergent Occasions. At St. Paul’s we say we proclaim Timeless truths, practiced in modern ways. With this motivation, we will use Yancey’s recent book to guide our sermons during Lent  In both the Wednesday night and Sunday morning services. Unlike Sonny in the movie, we will seek God through faith and not bargain with Him through our works. Thank God!

Want to know more?

Donne’s sermons were known for their eloquence, intellectual rigor, and passionate devotion. One of his most famous works, the Holy Sonnets, captures his intense spiritual introspection and yearning for divine grace. Poems such as "Batter My Heart, Three-Person'd God" and "If Poisonous Minerals" reflect his struggle with sin, guilt, and the desire for redemption. In his later years, Donne's writing conveyed a sense of peace and reconciliation with God. His final sermon, "Death’s Duel," delivered just weeks before his death in 1631, stands as a testament to his profound faith and acceptance of divine will.

 Everyone has them. Nobody wants to be the focus of them. They can be a reflection of our innate sense of justice. Where that is true, the nature of the complaint is a desire for fair treatment of ourselves and/or others. But, in any given community, some complaints are destructive. Those are whispers seeking to create doubts or to tear others down. These types of complaints are damaging and will hurt the speaker as much or more than the target.

As St. Paul’s enters a season of change, it is no surprise that some folks are unhappy.

Change can be scary.
“What if the change makes me uncomfortable?
Is it a good change?
Why do we have to change?
What if I don’t like it?”

Of course, a desire for control or power also drives some of our complaining. We can
only guess at the motivations for grumbling. But, we can clearly see the injury created,
again to the author and the body.

The frequency of complaining about things at St. Paul’s seems to be on the rise lately. I
guess, that is in response to the 2025 Vision and its emphasis on some new priorities. If
you have an issue, please follow the demands of Jesus and discuss it directly with me,
or whomever you are complaining about. If someone complains to you, please gently
remind them to start with the person they are complaining about. We need each other.

Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, tell him his fault, between you
and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not
listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by
the evidence of two or three witnesses.”

In the 2025 Vision presentation, we started with Biblical priorities as stated in Acts 2:
Biblical Churches do four things:

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42

1. Teaching
2. Fellowship
3. Worship
4. Prayer

We adopted 3 specific goals:
1. To see more people begin relationships with Jesus
2. Each member grows in knowledge and devotion to Jesus
3. Increased number of events inward and outward

In support of the priorities and goals, we discussed plans to redesign the Gathering
Center. The current space is about 20 years old. We are planning to change the
flooring, wall colors, and the layout. We plan to consolidate the books into a
new “Heritage Library” and create more conversation spaces.

We are hoping to increase the use of the East Yard and its prayer circle, swings, and fire pit. We hope to add some additional seating there. We plan to host community events such as family movie nights.

We hope to create a Memory Care and Senior Center inside the building where anyone
from the area can find help and support. We have invested in a very large building that
is only used two full days per week. The opportunity to expand the building use
intersects nicely with our priority to see more people come into a relationship with Jesus
and to see internal growth of our knowledge and devotion to Him.

Healthy Christian churches foster a deep sense of fellowship and community. To
increase this at St. Paul’s we hope to see additional small groups start up. We will also
recreate youth, men's, and marriage retreats and seek to expand the current women’s
ministry to include more ladies from inside and outside the congregation.

In terms of unity with the whole body, we are sending letters to each former attendee.
The letters seek to rebuild relationships and invite the person to visit or rejoin the
congregation. We need to welcome back any that God sends us. We need one another.
We have invited the Maumee Community Church men to join our men’s Bible Study and
have attended theirs as well. We would be delighted to see these folks join us in any
way God directs.

Watch the next few issues of The Communicator for more information on the 2025 Vision.

Since joining the BLESS App in October with the hopes of launching it to the congregation in December, I have tried to be more mindful of not just my neighbors in our little cul-de-sac, but the larger neighborhood and the Church’s neighbors in Maumee. The BLESS App has really helped me remember to keep all my neighbors in mind and that we are all going through things and all of us have things to be grateful for.

Since my last blog posts about getting started with the BLESS App “Begin With Prayer” and “Praying For Our Neighbors,” our family has received such nice blessings from the neighbors across the street this season. About two days before Christmas Eve one of our neighbors came by to thank us for the cookies we made with a handwritten card for my son thanking him for the cookies we left them and a bag of Costco Ghirardelli chocolate. A few minutes, later he knocked on the door again and asked if my son would like a rocking horse that his grandsons had outgrown. I of course said yes and he said it would be much later that evening before he could bring it over, he knocked again about thirty minutes later with the rocking horse, and to my surprise and my husband’s delight, it was the same style rocking horse my husband had at our son’s age.

Our other neighbors also surprised us with a block of smoked pepper jack cheese and a bag of Snickers, Twix, and M&Ms for my son.

I have been so surprised by how my neighbors have responded to us reaching out to them and their genuine kindness in response to our little acts of reaching out. I feel truly blessed this Holiday season and hope to continue to be a blessing to our neighbors in the new year.  My New Year's goal is to invite these two lovely couples to dinner in the next couple of months and to continue to build stronger relationships with them.

We did not achieve our goal of walking around the neighborhood praying for our neighbors, but we did try a couple of times. It was just too cold, so I might try it again in the spring.

Since launching the BLESS App at the beginning of December, we have had 16 new users or lights who have linked to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and are actively praying for their neighbors and being lights in their neighborhoods. Thank you for downloading the App and creating an account so we can support your efforts as a church.

Join us for our Vision Meeting for 2025 on Thursday, January 9th at 5:30 pm for a light dinner with the meeting starting at 6:15 pm. Childcare will also be provided.

Please download the BLESS App or use this link to become a light and a blessing to your neighbors today!


If you would like to share a story, God sighting, or update us on your BLESS App progress please let me know. We would love to hear from you!

It's a New Year! That means it's time for New Year's Resolutions!

How many of your New Year's Resolutions focused on growing closer to God?

 Here are some ideas to incorporate that might help you grow closer to God in the new year.

For most--one's best reading is not right before you are ready to doze off.

Connect reading to a habit you already have, first thing in the morning, while you eat breakfast, right after dinner, or anytime when you can be focused and consistent are all good times to consider incorporating reading into your routine. What works best for you?

Do it with the same commitment you have to brushing your teeth. Think of it as "brushing your spirit."

Hopefully, these tips help you make a plan to grow your relationship with God this coming year!

God Bless,

T^3 MAT and some previous notes from Pastor Paul

Join Pastor David in the One Year Chronological Bible plan in 2025. The YouVersion Bible App is easy to install and use. Once installed, you will be asked to create a free account with your email and password. After creating your free account, go to plans and select the One Year Chronological Bible pictured in this post. Each day the app will send you a notification reminder with a link to the app and have your readings for that day. Within the app, you can read the chapters on the screen or have the app read the chapters to you. The plan includes about 15 to 20 minutes of reading per day.

I started this morning as this is something I have been wanting to do for some time now, but did not know how to start or I was just too tired to make the time. I was able to listen to today’s lesson and yesterday’s on my 22-minute commute. The narrator is engaging and has a good voice for reading aloud, so it should keep you alert while driving. Even my three-year-old son was engaged and had some interesting commentary throughout the readings in Genesis.

 How do you plan on incorporating reading the bible into your daily 2025 routines?

We would love to hear from you in 2025. Please let us know if you have anything to share in the blog in 2025 whether it is your progress with the Chronological Bible, God sightings, or how you are living your faith.

What increasingly gives me hope since moving here are the everyday acts of kindness I have seen in action at St. Paul’s and Northwest Ohio. One of these things happened in the first week or two after moving here we decided to go look around Levis Commons. My son who had just turned two, my sister-in-law, and I were walking by one of the restaurants with an outside eating area and passed a group of boys much older than my son but still young who were playing with these big plastic dinosaurs. My son just stopped and watched them in wonder, not like he was begging but just out of fascination with the kids playing.

One of the little boys, saw my son watching them and came over to talk to my son, and asked my son if he wanted to play with the dinosaur and then seeing the excitement it brought him, asked him if he wanted it. Within a few minutes, the three other little boys brought their dinosaurs over and asked if he wanted theirs too. This was the strangest moment, as we didn’t know any of these kids, my son wasn’t asking for the toy and there was not a hint of resentment or hesitation in any of the boys' offers, it was such a genuine pure moment of giving. I was so shocked by this moment of kindness and generosity from little kids. The first boy, I am guessing the oldest one, insisted that my son take one of the dinosaurs. Their adults interjected from a nearby cafe table that they genuinely wanted to share and they had a box full at their grandparents and were outgrowing them.

 I asked the boys if they were certain they wanted to give away such cool toys and told my son he could have one, but only one. My son of course picked the big green T-rex who opens his mouth and can fit anything the size of a small Hot Wheels car in his teeth when you move his arms. I thanked the boys profusely for their kindness as this T-rex has brought my son so much joy to my son and terror to our Hot Wheels over the last two years.

Other acts of kindness that are more subtle and bring me hope are pretty much anytime I go into a grocery store with both kids and someone inevitably insists on helping me with my cart, helping my son into the cart,  or loading my groceries into the car. I don’t always take strangers up on these offers, but when someone does offer assistance it reminds me that especially when it is offered on my hardest days as a mom God does see me and is reminding me that He is there and listening.

Before listening to Pastor David’s sermon on Hope from Sunday, December 8th  I would not have described trust as a defining feature of hope, though I see where it is now. The idea of hope in Jesus and being called to trust in Him has been a recurring theme in my life, especially, over the last few years. Trust in God has come up multiple times this past year at my bible study and the idea that we need to trust God more whether it is trusting in the people we love or the path we are on, trusting ourselves as mothers, or trusting that God has a plan or a path for our family to follow, no matter how difficult and daunting it might seem while we are on the journey.

What resonated with me most in the sermon on Hope was the reminder that hope is a choice that you make every day. As someone who likes to plan and be prepared, choosing hope or putting my trust in God is challenging for me. I still try to plan and prepare as best I can, but I am finding that the days I choose to relinquish my worries and just trust that God is walking with us fill me with the calmness and peacefulness that gets me through whatever is thrown at me that day.

So in both this holiday season and the season of life that my family is in, I am trying to cling more closely to the hopeful and peaceful feelings I have had since starting at St. Paul’s through everyday God sightings like these kindnesses from strangers or unbelievable deals on baby gear on Facebook or Goodwill where almost every day or at least weekly I am reminded that God is listening and telling me He is with us.

In the New Year, I hope that more people are called to share their God Sightings, BLESS App experiences, or takeaways from sermons and how they are applying those insights in practical ways in the blog post. If you feel called to share please reach out to me about posting to the blog.

I shared the article 30 Days of Praying Through Your Neighborhood on Facebook today because I thought it went well with the first BLESS app practice of praying for your neighbors and starting with prayer to build community. I also thought this was a good Advent challenge for me to do with my three-year-old as I try to instill the importance of giving and thinking of others during this holiday season. This 30-day challenge encourages us to be mindful in a practical way by walking through our neighborhood which is something some of us might already be doing so adding prayer to our daily ritual might be an easy thing to do.

Grandma is in town this week so last night we baked and decorated a bunch of Christmas cookies for our immediate neighbors to hand out today. Of course, cooking with small children is always interesting and challenging but for the most part, he did a much better job listening this year than he did last year when we made Christmas cookies for the family. Some of them look like a bit of a mess, but I’m blaming the tube the frosting came in and not just user age or user error.

I forgot how much work it is to mix, bake, and decorate a few batches of cookies and what a labor of love it is, and was so grateful my mother-in-law was on board with this activity. While I love cooking and enjoy the process as well as the giving I was tired at midnight and had to stop after the 3 batches of cookies. While I would like to give more and reach out to our larger neighborhood the three houses right next door will have to do this year. Maybe next year we will be able to make the rounds to the houses surrounding us or maybe another night I will be inspired to make more.

If you haven’t already at least check out the BLESS app it only takes about 5 minutes a day to go through the prayer and allows you to track who you have prayed for and where you are in building a relationship with your neighbors. So far only one other person has signed up from the congregation besides the staff.

Let me know how you plan to put praying for your neighbors into practice. Do you do anything special to reach out to your neighbors during this time of year? If you have kids, how do you encourage them to pray for others and instill the practice of giving?

While unpacking a few weeks ago, I ran across a metal sign that I was gifted with some baby gifts from the congregation and it reminded me not just that I am grateful for everything in my life right now, but just how grateful I am that I landed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.  Coming up on a year here, I cannot tell you how much all of your support has meant to me, not just as a secretary but as a safe place to land as a working mom, when so much of the workforce at least from my experience seems hostile to working parents and the need to put our kids first.

Since my three-year-old is in pre-school and is learning to recognize letters and he just asks a lot of questions in general about everything, especially new words, this prompted a discussion of the word grateful and what that means. In looking up the word grateful, I needed to look up the difference between grateful and thankful since thankful is listed as a synonym for grateful. However, according to the article “Grateful vs Thankful” on Grammarly.com's Commonly Confused Words blog “While both grateful and thankful are expressions of appreciation, grateful carries a more profound sense of emotional gratitude and is often used in acknowledgment of significant impact.” The article further asserts that “Thankful is more immediate and situational, usually pertaining to a specific favor or relief.”

In his sermon on Peace, Pastor David, asked us “What gives you peace?” my first thought was working at St. Paul’s. I have been searching for peace since becoming a mom in 2021 in my work life, spiritual life, and as a parent. Since starting my job at St. Paul’s I have felt an increasing amount of peace not just as an employee, but as a mom, and with my calling to acts of service. During this season where we are focused on what we are thankful for or grateful for and what brings us peace, I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to everyone at St. Paul’s for their support and acceptance of me, my family, and all of my endeavors here so far especially all those who volunteer to help me with Happy Hearts to being so nice and loving to my often feral children. I would also like to thank again the person who gave me the sign that prompted me to write this post.

What appeals to me most about using the BLESS App is the idea of building stronger community ties and being a blessing to my neighbors. I grew up in a very tight-knit neighborhood where everyone looked out for each other and have been missing that in my adult life.

Beginning with prayer is the first step to the BLESS practices and prompts you to think about your neighbors by giving you a daily prayer prompt to pray for them five households at a time. Once you have prayed for the set of households they will appear in your dashboard where it tracks how many times you have prayed for a household, listened to their specific prayer requests, Eaten with them, served them, or shared your story with them. There is also an option under the household information to mark whether or not they are a believer.

I have faithfully prayed for my neighbors at least once a week in the six weeks since using the app and am aware I need to be better at this especially since it only takes at most five minutes to go through the prayer prompt in the app or on the website and then select pray for all. You also have the option to pray for one household at a time if you want to do that and mark off the households individually.

 Using BLESS has been a personal challenge that I am enjoying. My personality is a mix of introvert and extrovert. I used to joke that I was an introvert who pretended to be an extrovert, the isolation during the pandemic taught me that I do genuinely like people and like being of service despite it being difficult for me to be the first person to approach someone in a social setting or just out and about. So that is something I am working to overcome. The app is encouraging me to work on this since building a community, especially, in our immediate neighborhood is important to my husband and me.

To get myself into a better habit of praying for my neighbors I am challenging myself to pray for them daily during Advent and I challenge you to do the same. Download the free BLESS App on your phone, computer, or other device. Set up a free account and be sure to select St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Maumee so that we can see our progress as a congregation as the month progresses.

 Signing up for the BLESS App is the hardest part. Once you have signed up, you will receive a daily email with the day's prayer and the five households in your neighborhood. You can either log in to the app or pray from the email and select done. It takes less than five minutes a day.

Please let me know if you have any questions about using the Bless App or if you would like to share any BLESS stories or experiences.

AUTHOR:  Becky Guth

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night…And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (LK 2:8-12)

That scripture is one that I probably know by heart.  Besides hearing it once a year in church on Christmas Eve, I’ve also heard it once a year since 1965 when “A Charlie Brown Christmas” first was televised.  “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is one of my favorite Christmas specials and I know some of those characters’ lines by heart, too.   Remember how Shermy complained, “Every Christmas, it’s the same.  I always end up playing a shepherd.”?
 
As I think back about childhood Sunday School programs, it usually wasn’t shepherds that all little kids hoped to play in the Christmas pageant.  It was Mary and Joseph.  The shepherds weren’t the main roles in the program and they didn’t have many – if any – speaking parts.

The Bible basically confirms that the shepherds said little.  But their reactions to the amazing news they heard and saw are wonderful examples for us today.
 
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. (LK 2:15-16)

The shepherds wasted no time in receiving the good news of the Messiah.  In fact, there was an urgency.  Though they were afraid, they responded in belief and trust and said, “Let’s go”.

And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. (LK 2:17-18)

After witnessing the newborn King, the shepherds spread the good news and all who heard it were amazed. The life-saving gospel we know today began spreading across the world through humble shepherds.

Be like the humble shepherds!  Don’t keep this good news to yourself.  Share it!  

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (LK 2:20)

AUTHOR:  Russ Leggett

I am writing to all of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, aka “My Church Family” because I feel the Holy Spirit pushing me to do this.  What could I possibly have to say to any of you that really matters and all of you are just as smart as I am so what reason is there to justify this note.  I want each of you to know that I love you and I care about you and the more I get to know you, the more that love increases.  These are not just some nice words that Russ is saying right now, but it is truth, and they are really true to my core.  You all know where this comes from, our Father above who is the perfecter of LOVE.

We all know that this life here together on earth is so limited and fragile.  Take time to make sure those that you really care about know you really love them above all else.  Take time to show it to others that you do not know but God has put in your path today.  I grew up not showing a lot of emotions that God placed in my heart, but some of you have taught me how to share this and now I love it when someone gives me a hug, even another guy which is still a little uncomfortable.  Please do not keep those emotions inside. The devil would love for us all to do that and he continues to try and put doubt in my mind.  Smile and show love to others because of how blessed we all are by the love our Father shows us.

In closing, please show love to anyone that comes into your presence today and the days ahead.  We celebrate two major holidays at the end of each year giving thanks to God for his blessings.  Think about these words:

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Matthew 22:37-40  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all you soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.

I need to be deliberate about how I go about my day!  I need to “Wake Up”.  This life that God gave me should be used to LOVE.  I ask each of you to consider turning up the LOVE in your life towards our Father, and one another.  You will be happy you did and so will our Father!!!

Love
Russ Leggett

AUTHOR:  Kacie Walenczak

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (Mt. 7:7-8)

I often get ideas during the night and wake up with my mind buzzing. It’s in these moments I believe the Lord is talking to me because all my worry is stripped away, and I find peace in my decisions. I had one of these moments a few months back when I was fretting about what to do for Easter with the children of St. Paul’s. I had been praying and asking for a sign. Then one night I woke up thinking about the Stations of the Cross the Evangelism MAT has done and thought, that would be fun to do with the kids. So began my journey of creating a walk with Jesus, from the garden of Gethsemane to His resurrection. I of course began to worry; would the kids enjoy this? Would I be able to find what I need to transform the rooms? Would it be good enough? He provided! I went to a MAT meeting one Monday and shared some of my concerns. Everyone had ideas of what I could use and where to find it. That Thursday I went to church and began looking for the things on my list. My daughters went with me, and I asked them to find me a crown of thorns. In the fellowship hall in a corner, they found vines woven together in the shape of a crown. It was perfect. Weeks later while setting up on a Sunday morning I was looking for something to use as a blindfold. I turned around and upon the empty counter sat a blindfold. Again, he provided. I asked the girls to find me a purple robe, and they found one. He provided. This experience brought many smiles, laughs, and great discussions. All my worry and all my fears were driven out during this time because he always provided.

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Mt. 21:22)

AUTHOR: Aaron Williams

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about trust and gullibility. To be honest, I’m not exactly sure why I’ve been thinking so much about this. Though, I think trust and gullibility are actually very, very similar. Let’s break down what it means to be gullible, it means that you are easily trusting, that you are quick to trust those around you, that you are quick to believe that they are being honest with you.

The world views being gullible as a flaw, but I’m not certain that it actually is. Instead, I think being gullible looks a lot like Jesus. It is quick to believe that people are being truthful with you. It is quick to believe that people are being honest with you. It seems to resonate a great deal with what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 concerning love, ‘love believes all things.’ I don’t take that to mean love is naïve or stupid. I take that to mean that love believes the best about all people, at all times, until you are given enough reason not to. That love, in some sense, is gullible. Love is inherently trusting.

Really, that’s all being gullible is. It’s being inherently trusting. It’s trusting that people are telling you the truth. It’s believing the best about people, it’s trusting that they have a good name, a good reputation, until you are given enough reason not to. Now, what ‘enough reason not to’ looks like, I don’t know, I think it varies by context. I think that’s something we each must decide uniquely in our relationships. But my main purpose in writing this is this: What if, instead of us adopting the world’s view of gullible, of being quick and easy to trust, we instead operated as if that was the default, what if Christians were the most trusting people. That seems to be the behavior Jesus requires when He says if we are sued for our coat, give the shirt as well. If we are dragged one mile, go two. If we are struck on the left cheek, give them the right also. In other words, let them take advantage of you, or let them know you as gullible and trusting.

AUTHOR:  Aaron Williams

Something I have always found interesting about our culture is this fixation on ‘new year new me’. We all have this desire, whether conscious or unconscious, to change. We recognize that there are things about ourselves that must change. Whether that’s a commitment to join a gym, to kick a habit, or something else. But how many times have people failed their new year resolutions? How many times have you?

This desire for change, along with the seeming inability to do so, has always interested me. Because if you think about it, it’s a very real, very immediate picture of the Gospel. Here we have people, who have recognized that there is something about themselves that must change, and yet they lack the ability to make that change. Or they cannot make it permanent. The change is always fleeting.

I think the reason this change always fails is that we can’t change ourselves. A leopard cannot change its spots, a house cannot paint itself. We require something outside of ourselves to change. Something must happen to us for us to make lasting change. In our culture's fixation with ‘new year new me,’ I find it odd that we have missed the Gospel. Because that is something promised by the Gospel. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation…” The Gospel, Christ, knows our desire to change, and doesn’t look down on it, rather He says that we go about it wrong, that we don’t change ourselves. He changes us.

All this leads me to ask us a simple question: If you desire to change, how are you going about it? Are you spending time with Christ, the one you desire to be like? After all, we become like that which we behold.

                I love worship. It’s such an incredible thing when you stop and think about it. The ability and the opportunity to approach the One who is the object of our affections and connect with Him is something truly wonderful. For me, and I pray for you, it provokes this sense of awe and wonder. That I would be allowed to approach Him. That He would give me the ability to approach Him. That He would make a way for me to approach Him. There’s something so incredible about that.

                Which always gets me thinking, what is worship really? I mean, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us that whether we eat or drink, we should do it all to the glory of God. Also, in Romans 14:6 Paul tells us that if we eat, we eat to the Lord. Both of those things sound like worship. But it doesn’t look like worship. Which just makes me wonder even more, what is worship? At the start of Romans 12, Paul tells us that offering our bodies as a living sacrifice is our spiritual worship. In Matthew 15 Jesus says that people worship Him with their words, but their hearts are far from Him, so their worship is in vain.

                In Hebrews 13 we are told to continually offer up a sacrifice of praise, and to not neglect to do good, and share what we have. Taken together, all of this tells me that worship isn’t a single moment. It’s not something we do for around an hour and a half on Sunday mornings. Worship is a constant position we find our hearts, our very selves in. It’s not a moment, it’s moreso a state of being. One of my favorite understandings of what worship is comes from, of all places, an atheist. A writer/philosopher by the name of David Foster Wallace, in one of his last public appearances before his death said this:

“In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never feel you have enough. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, you will end up feeling like a fraud, always on the verge of being found out.”

                Because what is worship really, other than a position we find ourselves in? What is worship other than building our lives around something, and finding our worth and value in that specific thing? In the Book of Concord, it’s worded like this: “ A god means that from which we are to expect all good and to which we are to take refuge in all distress, so that to have a God is nothing else than to trust and believe Him from the [whole] heart; as I have often said that the confidence and faith of the heart alone make both God and an idol.

If your faith and trust be right, then is your god also true; and, on the other hand, if your trust be false and wrong, then you have not the true God; for these two belong together, faith and God. That now, I say, upon which you set your heart and put your trust is properly your god.”

                So, if worship isn’t an action, but rather the actual leanings of my heart, then there is never a moment I am not worshipping. So, if I am never not worshipping, then all my life is worship, from my work, to my leisure, and everything in between. If this is the case, then do I act like it? Do we? What does rest, a break, as worship look like? What does work as worship look like? The answers to those questions have far reaching implications for our whole lives. I wonder what answer you’ll reach?

By Aaron Williams