Last night was our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake and Sausage fundraiser for our children and youth ministries. What a great time! A heartfelt thanks to all the servants who came out to prep, cook, serve, clean up and enjoy one another. If you thought this was all about pancakes and sausage (which is not everyone’s favorite meal), you missed a tremendous blessing. I don’t say that to cause any grief or hard feelings, but rather to bear witness to God’s sweet presence during our time together. Here’s what I saw: I saw young children serving the Lord by serving others. I saw families connecting with each other as they served together. I saw trustees cancel their meeting to invest in the next generation. I saw church members invite their friends to enjoy a meal. I saw young dads picking up to-go meals for their sick spouses. I saw a young, engaged couple finding a home at Lakeside and wanting to participate in a church activity....
Through the Eyes of Jesus Restoring Dignity John 4: 1-2, 13-30 Well, friends, today we continue our 40-day journey through the Season of Lent. This year, we’re inviting Jesus to help us see again, to see with new eyes, to see the world as Jesus sees it. My hope is that God’s Spirit will challenge us, convict us and grow us as we do this work together. To kick off this series, we’re going to spend some time looking at an important conversation Jesus has with a woman at the well, a story of restoring dignity and worth. If you have your Bibles… There was a story making the rounds a few months ago on Facebook, written by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. I can’t tell you if the story is factually true, but what I can say is that the story speaks a lot of truth. Coelho tells the story of a young couple who recently moved into a new neighborhood, and every mornin...