“Summertime…… and the liv’in is easy…”  Well, that’s the way the song goes. But the truth is, we just trade one schedule for another just as jam packed; different things to do but just as many. However, driving is   easier… living is easier. I love summer but I’m almost always ready for fall. Only when we have one of those non-summer summers… cool and rainy and difficult - then I just feel cheated out of summer and not ready for fall at all. That won’t be the case this year. I’m already thinking ahead. We will need Sunday school teachers. We also need kids. We will need parents and non-parents, people of all situations for teaching and learning, giving and growing.Vacations are meant to be a time away from the stress of the clock, the pressure of deadlines and commitments because, as the saying goes, “The world is too much with us.”God didn’t just run out of things to make on the seventh day of creation and so took a nap. God rested and commanded us to rest on the seventh day, the “Sabbath” and keep it holy, set  apart, separate from the ordinary schedule. I must confess: early in my life I noticed that Sunday was a day of rest for everybody who didn’t work for the Lord. As a typical teen, church was not the most exciting thing to do. Church leaders who remember how they felt growing up have tried to make worship more inviting…. more accessible…. more exciting. But there remains a subtle difference between a rock concert and the most exciting “church”.Rock concerts are friendly places (sometimes, dangerously “friendly”). Church should be friendly, too. When you walk into church is the atmosphere friendly, welcoming, relaxed but expectant?  Do you get the sense that something good is going to happen?  But it is church.. It’s not a rock concert.The fellow who taught preaching when I was in seminary told us that when we preach, Jesus walks among the pews, helping people hear what they need to hear.  Author Ann Lamont wrote that she thought people should wear crash helmets during worship because the Holy Spirit was there and anything could happen. Sounds like it isn’t the seldom visitors who cling to their old story that the roof would fall in if they came to church, but that event, figuratively speaking, is likely to happen for anybody, anytime in worship.The main difference between church and a rock concert, excluding the music, is that we are not just spectators. Worship doesn’t happen for our “entertainment”. It happens for a meeting between us and what the world is not and can never be, left to its own devices. Worship is meeting God. Yes, it is meeting God in friends, fellowship, hymns, songs, old words, new thoughts… but it is the only place we can go to hear the words of God’s forgiveness, God’s desire for us, God’s love revealed in a real human who walked this earth, died, and yet lives in bread and wine and us.So, yeah, I’m thinking ahead about September but first… we have weddings and worship and….. Who knows what will happen between now and then!Blessed Pentecost!  God’s Peace and Joy, Pastor JoAnn 

Special Music: Are you interested in offering Special Music this summer during our 9:00 worship service? If so, we invite you to contact Jill Buchheim or Elaine Jaeke.  We can help you choose a song and accompany you on the piano if needed. Whether you sing or play an instrument, are a child or adult, we welcome your musical gifts!

River Road Gang: The church is planning a Pig Roast for Rally Sunday on September 11^th and we’d like to put together a band to play a mix of gospel and country music outdoors during the gathering.  It would be a ton of fun to bring back some of the old River Road Gang for this event.  Practices will begin in mid-August.  Look for announcements regarding rehearsal in the August church bulletins or on our facebook page.  We always welcome new members, whether you sing, play guitar, bass, flute, or drums!

Music Opportunities in the Fall:  NGMLC’s music groups will all be starting up again in the fall! Check out September’s newsletter for official starting times and dates for rehearsals. We encourage you to consider sharing your gifts with one or more of the following groups: Chancel Choir, Praise Band, Tone Chimes, Youth Tone Chimes, Youth Recorders, or Sunday School Music. Contact Jill or Elaine with any questions.

Worship and Music Committee: Working with the Worship and Music Committee offers the special opportunity to help design and facilitate the worship experience, which can be a fulfilling and intimate extension of your faith. Your fellowship, thoughts, ideas, and energies are welcomed and needed. The Worship and Music Committee meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 in the fellowship room. Please feel free to join in and participate in one of the monthly meetings if you are interested in serving with this group. If you would like more information, contact the church office.

Jill Buchheim, NGMLC Music Director

This month’s Money Leadership Devotion is the final reflection in a series provided for you over the past two and a half years. Our hope is that your path has been guided as You moved toward money leadership. For an ongoing prayer life, the following resources are suggested:

© Prayer Ventures at www.elca.org

© Devotional Guide for ELCA Congregation Councils and Committees at www.elca.org/communication/devotional© Jesus’ Teachings About Money by Loyal Golv (Kirk House Publishers; Minneapolis, MN;  Copyright 2007; www.kirkhouse.com)© Grounded in Prayer—A Small Group Training Guide for Congregational Prayer by Brent W. Dahlseng (Augsburg Fortress; Minneapolis, MN; Copyright 2003; www.augsburg.fortress.org)Witnessing the faith in your heart  -  Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.   - Matthew 5:16There is a story of a little boy who met with his doctor, “Tomorrow morning at ten o’clock,” the surgeon said to the ten-year-old boy, “I’m going to open your heart and see what’s inside.” The doctor was not prepared for the boy’s response, “I know what you’ll find, Doctor. You’ll find Jesus in my heart.”“No, son,” the surgeon continued, “I am going to cut open your chest and see what’s inside and see if it can be fixed.” “That’s fine, Doctor,” the boy replied, “but whatever else you find in there, you’ll also find Jesus in my heart. My pastor says Jesus is in my heart. My Sunday school teacher says Jesus is in my heart. The songs we sing at church say Jesus is in my heart.”The surgeon looked at the boy’s parents and then back to the boy, “No, son, I will tell you what I will find. I will find collapsed veins or arteries, muscle damage and deteriorated tissue. Then I will see if I can fix it so that you can live longer.” “That’s fine, Doctor,” the boy concluded, “but you will also find Jesus in my heart.”After surgery the surgeon had a difficult walk as he dictated his notes, “…damaged pulmonary aorta, muscle damage and tissue deterioration beyond repair. Heart transplant—not feasible. Recommended treatment—pain killers and bed rest. Prognosis—death within twelve months.”When the surgeon reached his office, warm tears streamed down his cheeks as he angrily looked to the sky and shouted, “Why didn’t you answer my prayers? I prayed so hard for this surgery to be successful. Why wasn’t it?” It was as though a voice came from above and said softly, “The lamb, my child, is not only part of your flock but also part of mine. He will be joining my flock sooner than most people. Someday his mom and dad will join him and all of them will have joy and peace they have never known on earth, because they are all followers of my Son, Jesus.”The surgeon was still angry and shouted again, “But you created that defective heart! You knew that he would not live to see his eleventh birthday. Why?” He shook his fists in the air. The soft voice returned, my plan is measured, not by length of years, but by when a person completes his stewardship. You see, the boy’s life is complete because his stewardship was to bring another lamb back into my flock.”It took the surgeon some time to regain his composure. Then he went to the boy’s room. His parents were seated and the boy was sleeping. The doctor touched the boy on the shoulder, and the boy opened his eyes and asked the doctor in a measured voice, “Did…you…open…my…heart?” “Yes…son…I did.” “What…did…you…fin…there…?” “Son, I found Jesus there.”There are probably people who have touched your heart. Where have you found Jesus in that relationship? If the surgeon had to look inside your heart, would Jesus be there?

Prayer: Keep us, Lord, from being silent about our faith. Help us to open our hearts to others that we might be witnesses to you. Make us trust in you enough to speak out for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Money Leadership devotions are developed by the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission Unit of the ELCA.