Grace and Peace Beloved Friends,
Maybe it’s because I’m a pastor, but I have a lot of Bibles. Bibles from classes in Seminary. Bibles from publishers who want to get their new translation in the hands of pastors. I have Bibles of all kinds of different translations and cultural backgrounds. I have Bibles with John Wesley notes, Bibles with scholarly notes, Bibles with… not so scholarly notes. I even have a small pocket Bible with a metal cover from the White House of President Franklin D. Roosevelt that was given to soldiers in World War II. But my most cherished Bibles are the ones that my church gave me when I was growing up. While I can’t find my kindergarten Bible, I still have my 3rd grade Bible and my Confirmation Bible. Both have hand-written notes from pastors, mentors, and church members, Scriptures underlined or highlighted, all of it affirming and encouraging my journey of discipleship. It is a powerful reminder of the great cloud of witnesses, the community of faith that surrounded and supported me through my childhood and adolescence.
Last Sunday we started handing out cards for you to write words of encouragement, support, and your favorite Bible verse to go in the kindergarten Bibles we will be handing out on Sunday, October 24. Click here to download a PDF so you can print a card out at home. It’s a great opportunity to Be One of Five, to be a part of the great cloud of witnesses and the community who is there to support our youngest disciples.
Each year, we here at St. Luke’s give on average 150 Bibles to kindergarteners, confirmands, and graduates – just like my home church did for me – as a way of supporting and encouraging discipleship and faith development. This year a celebration offering has been given by Dr. Tom Katta, and his beloved wife Mrs. Aruna Katta, to cover the cost of all of those Bibles in honor of their grandchildren Kareena, Thomas, Marcus, and Isabel. What a blessing to celebrate the life and faith of their grandchildren by supporting and encouraging other young people in their discipleship and faith journeys. Thank you, Dr. and Mrs. Katta, for your faith and support in what God is doing at St. Luke’s in the lives of our children and youth.
And thank you all for writing a note of encouragement and support to our kindergarteners as they begin this powerful journey of exploring life and faith with their new Bibles! I hope you will join us this Sunday in worship, either online or in-person, as we continue in our worship series “The Stories We Live: My Stories,” and interact with this powerful and difficult story of Job. I look forward to seeing you then!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jad