This past Sunday, over three dozen youth and adults from Lord of Life and our partner Latino congregation, Vida Eterna Iglesia Luterana (VEIL), participated in an exciting day of service called “Gods Work. Our Hands.” Presiding Bishop of the ELCA Elizabeth Eaton says, “This day is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.”
At Lord of Life, we had three projects ready to go: Police and Fire visits, Union Elementary beautification, and interior painting at Haven House family shelter. Because of the unrelenting rain, we delayed the outdoor projects at Union Elementary. Keep your eyes open for a reschedule later this fall.
One group decorated cardboard boxes with colorful paper and then stuffed them full of dinner fixings, snacks, “Live Generously” T-shirts, and homemade cards, before wrapping them up and heading out to deliver the care packages to the West Chester Police Department and five of our West Chester Fire Stations. One of our people, upon greeting the fire personnel, said, “Thank you for all you do to protect and serve our community. We know that it means time away from your families.”
Our other group descended upon downtown Hamilton in order to serve at Haven House, a shelter for families that are experiencing homelessness. In just a few short hours, twenty-one of us were able to paint from floor to ceiling almost all of a five bedroom apartment that is used as gathering and play space for these families in transition. One worker mentioned, “Laughter, music, and stories were shared as we bonded through service with our larger community.”
While we didn’t get to meet the families that were currently staying at Haven House, we hope that this newly painted commons area will bring them joy and show them Christ's love. Jesse at Haven House said, “It looks great! We appreciate everything you all did.”
Other congregations in the area tied quilts, assembled care bags, served hot meals, worked in gardens, planted flowers, picked up litter, and a whole bunch of other fantastic and life-giving opportunities. If you missed it, don’t worry. There will be plenty of other opportunities for you to serve. Not only will we have other organized moments of serving together, but our hands, feet, hearts, and minds are part of God‘s redemptive work every day. It’s who we are created to be! It was great to be part of an event in unity with our fellow Lutherans as an extension of all the great things we’re always doing at Lord of Life.
Recently, our seminary intern, Corey Wagonfield, started an online class that is part of his continuing theological education. As a way of introducing our congregation to his classmates, he was asked to make a short video with a virtual tour of our space and ministries. Instead of just recording a walk around our building, he decided to get creative and blast through some of the ministries in which we share. Check out his video here.
{Facebook}https://www.facebook.com/LordofLifeWestChester/videos/305752000217407{/Facebook}
We are part of God’s work in this place. Our hands, words, actions, prayers, and lives all point to the One Jesus Christ who came to give us abundant life and teach us how to love and serve all people!
With gratitude,
Pastor Lowell