Emmanuel Lutheran Church

July 2022

For the past several months we have been sharing “God sightings” or what we call “God stories” to begin each of our worship services. These stories have varied in scope from the simple recognition of the gift of God’s hand through the kindness of a neighbor to the more complex recognition of God’s hand in arranging an encounter with someone who needed help at that exact moment. By hearing our own people tell their personal stories of their sightings/encounters with God we are gaining a much greater appreciation for what God is doing here and now as we worship. God didn’t just come among the people in Biblical times. God comes to us today as well. It is one thing to read books authored by some stranger who experienced God’s present activity, but it is another to hear these kinds of stories from people we know and love. When we tell these remarkable stories, we give witness to a God who is intimately involved in the world around us. If we were all poetic writers, these stories might be considered and heard as psalms. Read the Psalms and you will know what I am talking about.

Everyone has God sightings/stories to share but some are not public speakers and may be reluctant to share their story in worship. If this describes you, write your story down to be told by me during sharing time. Stories must include your name. You can place your story in the God Story box on the table in the narthex or mail it in to the church. Forms are available at the church for you to take and return.

Here are some questions that may help you understand/record your story:

How did you see God at work around you?
What did you observe that was an “aha” moment for you?
What was God up to in this moment?
How has God used you to bless someone else?
How has God used someone else to bless you?

Thank you for sharing your witness to God’s work in our lives.

Pastor Alan