A man needs sometimes to change an environment to realize the things that are important to him. So he could see, where is his place and where isn’t. And so he could learn new skills and be more fearless.

I am honor to work, serve, live and have fun at Lebanon Lutheran Church in Whitehall (MI) for two months already. And I am so thankful for an opportunity to get to know so amazing people.

I have seen them willing to serve even to strangers without expectations of anything on repent. Live generously is not only motto of Thriven but also motto of the people I met here. I do not want to say that things are perfect. Who is perfect except the Lord? But I can be absolutely happy with knowing that I saw imperfect people working for perfect God, and for His Kingdom even through the small deeds and how they were making a change.

They adopted me and encouraged me when I needed. They went through my first liturgical footsteps with me. And even I wasn’t the best or perfect, they said what I needed to hear. I felt a friendship and love.

Sometimes a man needs to change his environment, to learn that he is important and precious.

In couple last weeks I had opportunity to peach, to chant, to pray, to bless and to help with a distribution of the Holy Communion. It was my first chance to try it during a worship for many of those things. I believe that these little steps of trust in God, which the service at Lebanon gives me, will help me with the big steps of faith and trust to God in my service and life at home.

I’ll take a plenty inspiration in service and help to those in need. I saw that people where thankful and happy when they´ve seen that the community is carrying about them and that the community is interested about them. Regrettably, I cannot see it so much in my home town or in my church. I know that there are many people who care and do something, that there are some really blessed ministries, but I cannot see it as a trend or as something natural for a congregation. But I know that we could and that we have resources for the service for those in a need, but sometimes it is not as important as repairing the old non-well-handled building.

But back to my U.S. home. The congregation provides a food pantry, a home visiting, and also the support groups. They have started to provide a cooking lesson one a week about healthy cooking whit the groceries even form the food pantry.

An Absolutely new experience for me was a worship oriented on a community and the Holy Communion. I don’t know how it is for other Slovak students, but for me it is a remainder of Christ’s everyday presence in our lives.

Also new was the Adult forum where people study a non-biblical book whit the pastor and learn about background and history behind the book. Mostly it is an inspirational story or some history book talking about something really connected whit religion and faith. I am really wandering how it would look like in a Slovak congregation.

But the most powerful things I have experienced for a while were the visits of people in their homes or in a hospital. I had an opportunity to meet the different people with the many different stories. They might had been in bad health condition but although they were glad to meet us and talk to us. The visits were about hope and ordinary talks when there were not so many people to talk with about the ordinary things. I have never experienced such an interaction between a pastor and a visited one, although I am beginning my third year in a seminary, this summer was my first time I had chance to try such visits.

I have only 3 more weeks here in the States. I appreciate all what I learned at Lebanon so far, and I hope that it is not the end of the learning yet.