Coming Up at LCOS

Hello Church,

What a week!

With news of the port workers’ strike (and also, in part, the donation drives for WNC) we saw shelves at stores all over town get their shelves cleared out of toilet paper. Now that the strike is over, I think we can admit the panic was eyeroll worthy and kind of funny.

But in the moment, I know I felt those same “uh oh” feelings from spring of 2020 when there were supply chain shortages of all kinds of things I never would have expected. Diapers, formula, toilet paper, ketchup, craft supplies, outdoor toys… those are the ones I remember off the top of my head. I’m sure you can name your own list of things you needed and couldn’t get at the time.

The thing is that, alongside real supply chain problems, comes the issue that people create when they panic and hoard. Someone ends up with a veritable fortress of TP while someone else is googling bidets and TP alternatives. (yikes!)

But, as people of faith, we are called to take a counter cultural approach to the world.

Who could have known that the strike was coming when, on Sunday, we confessed our tendency to take care of our own needs instead of trusting in God and looking out for the needs of our neighbors? Do you remember when we said this together? “But we must confess that we have hoarded beyond what we could hope to use, wasted more than many people ever have, and know so little about our neighbors we can’t begin to imagine how to share.”

This is our tendency. Which is why God has given us scriptures to help us remember to put our trust in God alone, and not our fortresses of TP, money, or whatever else we feel the need to hoard and accumulate to make sure we are ok.

I’m not sharing this to make you feel guilty if you ran to Sam’s the second you heard the word “shortage.”

But now that it’s over and we can all take a breath and reflect, I think it’s an opportunity to check in with ourselves and ask how we felt in our hearts when we found out there might night be enough?

Did you feel at peace?

Did you feel scared?

And then why do you think you felt that way?

Did you feel ok because you had just bought a big pack of TP the week before and you knew you’d be able to ride it out?

Or because you trusted that you would be able to have you needed if you asked for help?

Did you feel triggered by past experiences of not having enough?

Were you worried you wouldn’t have enough of what you needed?

How do you hope you will respond next time?

If you have kids at home, it’s a chance to talk with them about the experience. You might even remind them of the experience of the Israelites on Passover who were told to make enough for their household. And if their family was too small for a whole lamb to find someone to share with (Exodus 12). Or tell the story of manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4-10 (and verses 13-21 for fun)). And Matthew 6:25-34 is good for talking about this idea as well.

After the conversation you might invite your children to look around your home and find things they can share with others and decide where to take those things. If you need ideas: If you have some cans of things that you don’t need, you could bring them to the food pantry. Clothes might go to Finder’s Keepers. Household items can be donated at Philippians Place. You can also make financial donations to Lutheran Disaster Response for Hurricane Relief.

It is a blessing to walk through life with you all.

In peace,

Pr. Sami

Sunday Schedule

Worship at 8:30

Sunday School for all Ages 9:30

Worship at 10:30

Youth Group 11:45-1:00

Get involved!

Food Pantry (contact Bev)

Choir (contact Zizi)

Women’s Bible Study (Contact Pr. Sami)

Sunday School (Contact Pr. Sami)

Help take care of the grounds and building (Contact Pr. Sami)

Council Nominations (Contact Bev)

Youth and Family Ministry (Register Here) Contact Pr. Sami to volunteer.

Craft Fair (Contact Bev to sign up or volunteer)

Altar Guild (Contact Wendy)

Sponsor a Fellowship Hour (Contact Kathy)

Help Lead Worship (Sign up Here)

Reach out to Pr. if you have a request prayer if you'd like to set up a time to talk.