quire an open heart and a little time . Stopping to give a friend a hug and taking the time to listen to what they have going on in their lives can make a huge difference . Sharing your time with others , joining them in a prayer , even smiling and chatting with them about last night ’ s ball game makes them feel as if someone cares about them . It ’ s about putting their needs above your own . I find this small human kindness reaps rewards for both parties ; we all need to feel loved and have someone who cares about us . Lastly we find ourselves closer when reading scripture . I am not a well-educated man and am certainly not a biblical scholar . I find some of the scripture very uplifting while other verses leave me searching for guidance on what it ’ s all about . I try to let the Spirit into my heart knowing God will make his meaning clear if I listen . I read a daily devotional that provides some direction in my reading and prayer . I find this helps me explore the Bible and often provides insight I had not seen previously . I enjoy the readings and sermons each Sunday very much .
As we continue our journey on this path which God has placed before us I encourage everyone to stop , listen , feel , and think about what brings them closer to God and how they can continue to grow in faith and in our community .
-by Steve Case
I grew up in the Lutheran Church and attended regularly with my family . Typically , a Sunday included church and Sunday School . We would then walk over to Grandpa and Grandma ’ s house for ice cream floats and chocolate chip cookies ( made with Rice Krispies ). The cousins were always present . The act of attending church was mostly just part of the week to me . After Bryan and I married and had our own children , we knew that we wanted to raise our kids within the church . We didn ’ t know then how important our choice to come to Lutheran Church of Mahomet would be .