Last year I wrote about how it was time for summer blockbuster movies. Last year I couldn't wait see the movie blockbuster Avengers ...This year, I can't wait to see Iron Man 3. It reminded me of part of a sermon that my friend Pastor Mark Borgetti once spoke. You see, we both like Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr, plays Tony Stark ...an egotistical and self-centered playboy, but then he makes a suit; a suit made of iron. One very cool suit! And when he puts this suit on, he gains all these powers. Ok, for me (Pastor Mark) his favorite power is that he can fly. He always wanted to do that one. Though I would love to fly, I like the laser blaster that shoots out his hand. Be honest, wouldn't you love that laser blaster when driving in rush hour traffic and some guy cuts you off? Wham! and that guy is toast! Just kidding (a little).

But what if the Holy Spirit gave us a Christian Iron Man Suit- with the power to forgive everyone who has hurt us: the power to love even those we don't want to: the power to care for all people: the power to share my faith in a relational way and the power to give of my resources so all can have enough?!

But, the good news is ... the same Holy Spirit that was poured out over the disciples on Pentecost and started a revolution of hope by giving the power to speak, forgive, love, and care for one another and share their faith and what they had so all could have enough ... that same Spirit exists today.

For the last two years, I have been talking about how we need live out our faith in our everyday lives. How the time has come for us to go out into our neighborhoods, work places and in our communities and share our faith journey with everyone we meet. It means that we work to build community with all whom we meet; to find common ground in which to connect with one another; and you have responded!

We have done a good job in reaching out into the community. We've had some struggles and bumps along the way and we have also grown in many ways, but we still have more to do.

As we take some time this summer, we will be looking towards the next half of the year. How we can continue to reach out into our community, how we can grow in our sense of call as individuals and as a congregation; how we can be a missional church (meeting the needs of the community and beyond); how all the members of the church can become engaged in the life of the church; how we can live out our faith so that we can transform lives by sharing a saving faith in Jesus Christ! Now that's the way to live for Jesus!

 I recently talked about how Memorial Day was a day to remember. To remember all the brave men and women who gave their lives so we could be free. Their willingness to risk it all and give their all is why we remember them. That got me to thinking: will we be remembered 50 or 75 years from now? Will we be remembered for living out our faith in a bold way by sharing our faith, and living out our faith in service and where we risked it all for the sake of Jesus Christ? That's the way I want to be remembered!

  Yours in Christ,

Pastor Joe