Have you made your summer plans yet? A trip up North to see the family? A week at the beach? Maybe an Airbnb in the mountains? Summer is a great time for a change of pace and a time to get away. The purpose actually is to unplug.

But from church? Consider staying connected even while you are apart this summer. Let me suggest two ways.

Christ Online: If you have never seen it, our online worship experience is phenomenal. There are something like seven cameras capturing the worship from all directions from the preacher to the singers to the baptisms to the communion. Each week, we have about 350 devices that are watching. That translates to almost 700 people worshipping online. While most say it isn’t the same as being there in present, it’s pretty darn good. Some are sick that day or out of town traveling. Some are regular online worshippers who live out of state and others are checking us out for the first time. Our online worshippers are (primarily) not people who would rather sleep on Sundays and have a second cup of coffee. Most are people who want to remain connected, listen to inspirational music, and hear a good sermon while they are out of town.

Giving: As with most churches, giving goes down in the summer months because people attend less frequently.  This greatly disrupts our budget and cash flow until there is a “catch up” in September. Consider signing up with online giving. You can do it with your bank, making Christ Lutheran one of your scheduled payees or you can go onto our worship, hit the giving button, and enter and amount with a regular, scheduled payment.

I wish you well as you plan your summer escapes. It is so important to have a break from the routine, connect with family and friends, and use that time to refresh your soul. I’m doing the same this August when I go up to Minnesota for my dad’s 90th birthday and my sister’s 60th birthday. But even as I am gone, I will be tuning into Christ Online to check out worship, and I never miss an offering as I have that regularly scheduled online.

Stay connected, even while you are apart. God never takes a break from us. We should never take a break from God. That, too, refreshes the soul even more than a week at the beach!

 

Peace,
Pastor Scott