Canoeing, breakfast Bible studies and much more :)

Hi there! It’s been a while since my last post. I hope I get to remember everything I did this last week and a half!

Last Thursday Brother Doug and I went to have lunch with Pastor Rebecca Knox. After that we went to see her congregation st. Daniel’s Lutheran Church. The church is located at a beautiful location on a small hill – everywhere you look you could see green, especially corn fields. The members of st. Daniel’s are mostly farmers, so they own the land. We looked around the church – it even has a free clinic that works a few days in a week! The reason we visited the church was that they had a prayer meeting – a few members from the congregation got together with their pastor to pray for the needs of the church, their members and families. It was great to see people get together to pray and discuss how they can help out their church family. I finished the prayer meeting with the chanted Slovak version of the Lord’s Prayer. It truly was a holy moment, as Pastor Rebecca pointed out.
Last Friday Brother Doug and I had to get up a little earlier – we went to a breakfast/men’s Bible study they have every month. There were five of us – two Lutherans, one Mennonite, and two evangelicals (I think) – and we were discussing Epistle to the Ephesians. It was a great way to start the morning! What’s interesting is that, statistically, men’s bible groups usually don’t last long, but this one has been active for seven years now! (if I remember correctly)
In the evening the Didyoungs and I went to play mini golf! It was a lot of fun (even though I’m not sure if I improved a lot from the last time I played – which was two years ago 🙂 ). I didn’t win, but I did hit the ball into the hole on my first try once! (picture included down)
On Sunday I got to participate in a Baptism service for the first time. I got to present to my new brother in Christ a candle with the words: “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” I also helped out with the Service by leading the prayer, reading from the Holy Scriptures, helping out with the communion and chanting the Lord’s Prayer in Slovak again.
This Tuesday I went to help out with Pastor Mary of Hope Lutheran church, who was one of the organizers of “Terrific Tuesdays” (or is it Amazing Tuesdays? Something like that). Basically it was a chance for the children to get out of the town, listen to the Gospel stories, do some arts & crafts, play some games. It was at the pool which was near a lake, so I got to swim a little AND canoe! It was a little tricky to balance the canoe, but we managed it. The nature was beautiful (photos down). The photos would be better if I didn’t forget my memory card for my camera, which I did bring. After the fieldtrip I helped out at Hope Lutheran church giving out food to those who needed it and helped out Pastor Mary with the Eucharist.
This Thursday I went with Pastor Katie again to help her inform the neighbourhood of Christ Lutheran church that they are going to have a Vacation Bible Study (VBS), which will start on Monday and which I will be a part of. And then later in the evening I went to Christ Lutheran to help them out set up everything for a bash they had today (Saturday).
And today (Saturday) we had another breakfast/Bible study with my ‘USA home’ congregation, st. Mark’s Lutheran. We were discussing the book of Esther.

I think that’s everything interesting that happened this last week and a half. As I said in the post, this week I’m going to help out at Christ Lutheran with their VBS, and then I’m going to be preaching next three Sundays (at st. Mark’s, Senior living community called Luther Crest, and st. John’s Lutheran church). And I’ll have my birthday this coming Friday, so I’m looking forward to that.

Thank you for reading. Now the photos: