Connections…Reaching Beyond Ourselves

On Sunday many of us walked into the sanctuary to a flurry of colorful ribbons draped over the balcony. One ribbon hung about six feet off the floor, tantalizingly close to a seven – year old’s leaping reach. Jake jumped up to touch the ribbon and . . . came close. He tried again . . . closer! On his third attempt, Jake brushed the tip of the hanging ribbon, landed firmly on his feet, and beamed.

The ribbons that have adorned our sanctuary through October have represented many things to us—the heartfelt sidewalk prayers of the last twenty months; the weaving together of our lives in worship, friendship, and service; the cross that is the emblem of God’s love for the world; and our hopes and prayers for Laurel Heights in the coming year.

And now—thank you, Jake!—they mean one more thing: reaching. The ribbons all around us this month invite us to stretch, to grow, to reach. In a sense every gesture of giving is an extension outward, into the world, a reaching beyond ourselves toward one another. And when we give—when we stretch in our giving—we grow in our reliance on God and our sense of God’s life-giving purposes at work in and through us. I ask you to pray with me for God to guide us each in our discernment as we seek to reach toward greater faithfulness in our lives through our financial generosity toward the church we are called to love and serve.
Here is Sunday’s schedule:

9 a.m. Come and See worship, with a consecration of our pledges/estimates of giving for 2022

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Jazz Brunch on the Plaza, with fresh beignets from the Acadiana Food Trailer

11:00 a.m. Worship with a consecration of our pledges/estimates of giving for 2022

I’ll hope to see you Sunday for worship and brunch. Be sure to reach for the ribbons!

Grace and peace.

 Paul