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From the President

Monthly updates from the Congregational President

I hope many of you made it out to the campus for National Night Out.  What fun!  I was coming from National Harbor and thought I better change my clothes (which I did) and got there in the nick of time (meaning the food trucks were set up).  I didn’t’ realize we were going to have the bouncy tent, (which I still resent because where were THOSE when I has little?!).

Besides being awed by the firetruck and police cars (which I have never ridden in any kind of … official capacity), I was amazed the police and firemen are just normal people too with lots of cool accessories in their vehicles.  I certainly enjoyed seeing Amos (comfort dog), listening to the brass ensemble and chatting with others who came out on what was probably the most perfect weather we could have prayed for. 

One of the folks I chatted with was Barbara Wright. She just returned from a medical mission trip to the Galapagos Islands where she and her work colleagues treated hundreds of locals with medical and dental care.  The islands are an archipelago that is a wildlife preserve, and she did get a little sightseeing in, but most of her time was spent serving the residents.  One of our largest initiatives at St. John’s is Joining Jesus On His Mission, and I am constantly on the lookout for ways that I can identify and implement the five questions.  Hearing about Barbara’s trip and mission was humbling to me since I am a baby-steps person.  I’m more of a “picking up coffee at Costco for my neighbor who doesn’t drive” or “offering to return a grocery store cart to the carousel for a fellow shopper” as doing my part.  Later that night, I was remembering the evening and the fun I had, and I realized that the whole evening was all of us joining Jesus on His mission.  Spending time with community members who might not know Him yet, having conversations and enjoying a late summer afternoon with each other is all part of our journey.  Many thanks to Sarah Finger and the planning committee for all the work they did to make this possible. 

One other item Barbara Wright mentioned was an ongoing effort she supports to provide eyeglasses to folks who need them.  If you happen to have any old glasses (both regular and sunglasses) that no longer suit your prescription, why not bring them in and donate them to a great cause?  If you’d like to know more about this effort, contact Barbara (she’s in CCB) – she’ll be happy to fill you in.

If you’d like to chat about something on your mind or have ideas that might benefit St. John’s, please reach out to me at council.president@sjlc.com.  

May the Lord bless us all.