August 2022 Newsletter
Grace, mercy, and peace are yours in our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
Dear Family of God at Grace,
The Summer is about over. School is about to begin again which means a new season is ready to begin. The start of a new school year/season is always an exciting time. It can also be a frightening time. Moving up a grade or to a new school. Maybe its heading off to college. Maybe you are facing a health issue that has no diagnosis yet. Maybe it’s the economy or your dropping 401K. Maybe you are near retirement. Maybe you are moving or starting a new job. There are so many things that may cause you excitement or fear. The line between the two is not very long.
Last week, my family and I went to Universal. Fun and food, had by all. There is a new roller coaster called the “VelociCoaster” at Islands of Adventure. It is the biggest, badest, fastest, roller coaster I have ever ridden. I’m sure I almost died like 3 times when I rode it. The line between excitement and fear is centimeters on the VelociCoaster. It is exhilaratingly terrifying. Sometimes the world in which we live and our lives in this world can be exhilaratingly terrifying. The line in our lives between excitement and fear is only centimeters.
Every year we select a theme verse that becomes a focal point for us as God’s Family at Grace in Naples and in the world. Last year we focused on 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” This is a wonderful baptismal passage from Saint Paul. In your baptism, into Christ, you are new, clean, redeemed. The old Adam has been delt with. Our nature in the flesh is old but it has passed away because the new in Christ has come. What good news.
This year we are focusing on comfort and strength in the narrow line between excitement and fear. Saint John says in the Gospel “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). These are the words of Jesus to his disciples as he is preparing them for his death, resurrection, and ascension. Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit. Though He will depart from them, He will not leave them alone or abandoned. Jesus gives the disciples and you what is needed most in this life of excitement and fear, His peace! A peace that passes all that our mind and understanding can handle or grasp. His peace calms the troubled heart and strengthens us to bravely face all fears!
A new school year is upon us, and a new season is fast approaching. We are excited and unafraid of what will come because we have the peace of Christ. Thanks be to God!
Let me end this letter with three updates: School at Grace, office facelift, new administrative assistant. I am traveling to Leesburg, VA, on August 20th. There is a conference there to help congregations start new schools. It was recommended by our district school representative. Its two days of learning and networking. Our plan is to have everything in place by January/February of 2023 to bring in a teacher/administrator and start preparing for the school year Fall 2023. Talk about exhilaratingly terrifying. Jesus, bring us peace in this endeavor!
The office facelift is happening. We are moving forward quickly with painting and new flooring and new furniture. I’m moving 14 years of stuff out of my office. I hate moving even when it’s just moving stuff out of the office and then right back into the office. Hopefully by September 1st everything will be done, so I can include some pictures in next month’s newsletter.
The new Office Administrative Assistant will be hired very soon. Let me start by saying thank you, thank you to Gwyn! She has been wonderful and whoever follows her will have big shoes to fill. Along with finding a replacement for Gwyn we need a new Financial Secretary as well. Thank you to Bob Powers for his service to the church in a multitude of ways! We pray that God will bless Bob and Gwyn in there move north. We will miss them dearly! God speed!
In His Service,
Pastor Lingsch