Dear friends,

Citizens of third world countries who struggle for their daily bread, live in fear of violence and war, and worry about raising their children to adulthood sometimes look at us in America and wonder why any of us would need to be Christians. After all, they might reason, Americans have everything they need and more!

It is true we are blessed to live in a country with a high standard of living compared with much of the rest of the world, and we enjoy freedoms in our individual lives that others only dream of.  Yet all of us hunger for two things that cannot be purchased.  We hunger for a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives and we hunger for a sense of belonging.

Perhaps you feel that hunger, that emptiness that asks “Is this all there is?”  That sense of longing for something more can happen when this period of your life is incredibly good and blessed, as well as when you are going through heart wrenching periods of grief, illness, and pain.

The people of St. Luke’s are on this same road and are eager to share the journey with you.  As Christians we are discovering the incredible gifts that God gives---the gifts of love, peace, joy, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22)  We are learning to serve in situations that connect us in profound ways with both our neighbors and with God.  And we are finding strength for our daily lives as we worship and praise our Creator.

I invite you to come and see what God is doing with our congregation.

                                                   God’s peace,

                                                   Pastor Sarah Lewis