Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church     
 
Linda Pokrajac - "What Did You Do on Your Summer Vacation?"

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Messages of Grace

(Past Recorded Sermons) 











Dr. Bruce Bickel
Preaching
 
This Sunday
August 3, 2014

Sermon Title:
"Found in
God's Will"


Scripture:
Deuteronomy
29:29

Linda Pokrajac
August 1, 2014

 

Dear MLEPC Members and Friends:

 

My husband and I took an early summer vacation this year with a trip to Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, and some of our adventures would be worthy of one of those school papers where the student is asked in the fall to write on the topic, "what did you do on your summer vacation?" As three of our staff members are enjoying their vacations this week, summer seems to be passing by quickly at MLEPC. We have been a very busy church in this summer, 2014! We had a great VBS week. Our youth had a mission trip to Bluefield, WV. Mission: Possible 7 week involved countless numbers of people, those who served and those who were served. I think of Coffee on the Wing where volunteers gave out countless cups of coffee and "a cup" (bottle) of cold water to commuters heading to work - we could never count how many lives were touched. And summer's not over yet . . . the Ombiris have arrived in Kenya with two other missionaries to follow this week, and the Franklin Graham Festival of Hope comes to Pittsburgh on August 15-17 with many of our staff and members participating in that event. Many people who participated in these summer events took vacation days from work to be part of them, and I think of the definition of the word vacation: "A period of time that a person spends away from home, school or business usually in order to relax or travel." Most of the above activities would not fit into the category of "relaxing", but the blessings and challenges experienced by those who participated would make for an interesting school paper.

 

As I reflect on the summer of 2014 at MLEPC, perhaps a better question for our church family to consider is, "where did you see God at work this summer?" Consider: did you grow in faith as you participated in mission, enjoying fellowship, Bible study and worship through one of our many events or mission opportunities? Did you see God in the beauty of his creation - in a sunrise or sunset over a beach or even from your home, yard or front porch (my dad used to call it "Porchville")? Did you experience God's faithfulness as you went through a summer season of challenge? The apostle Paul writes to the Christian community in Colossae: "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Colossians 3:16-17).

 

Whatever you did or have yet to do on your summer vacation, may it be done to the glory of God, giving thanks that He is omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful), and omnipresent (always present)! See you in church!

 

Love, in Christ,

 

Linda Pokrajac

 

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