A Message From Pastor Craig
Summer Just Isn’t The Same
When I was in college, during the summers, I worked at Dahl’s grocery stores in Des Moines. I stocked the dairy and kept the soda aisle looking good. The 7-Up guy got me hooked on Snapple. For 30 years, in the summers, I have enjoyed popping open the metal lid, holding the cold glass, and enjoying raspberry or peach iced tea, made from the freshest stuff on earth.
Fast forward to this year. Snapple has moved to plastic. No more glass. Opening the bottle is anti-climatic. Holding plastic is boring. The tea doesn’t even seem to taste as good. Summer just isn’t the same.
The world around us changes and some of the changes are going to disappoint us. But Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). And thank God for that.
Endowment Update, 2 Days to Go — $5,000 Matching Gift
WE are creating an endowment to set The Water’s Edge up for future success. Here is the first step:
My challenge to us as a congregation is to have 150 gifts to the endowment by this Sunday, July 18th. I encourage you to make an investment in the future of our church. We sent out a brochure and pledge cards a couple weeks ago. They are also available online at https://www.weomaha.com/give/legacy
I’m challenging our people to make your first gift to the fund:
$12 $1 per month
$52 $1 per week
$365 $1 per day
WE can do this! So far WE have 38 gifts and are 25% of the way to our goal.
One family is willing to give up to $5,000 on Sunday—matching gifts given between now and then. So your gift to the endowment will most likely be doubled.
Make a gift to the endowment here (choose the fund “Endowment”):
Defining Moments, Part 3
Last weekend I talked about making it through tough times in life—how Joseph’s brothers threw him into a well and sold him to some travelers. It was a defining moment for Joseph. Pain in life can defeat us or develop us. Joseph chose development. This weekend, I’ll be sharing one of the great stories in the Old Testament. It involves the same cast of characters. And, this story means something profound for us as followers of Jesus today. Hope to see you this weekend!
Saturday Evening at 5:00
Sunday at 9:00 and 10:30
An After Worship Treat For You
It’s hard to believe Summer is halfway over! WE want to say THANK YOU for being a part of our community – whether you have been here from the beginning or have just joined us. Enjoy an after worship treat on us! WE will have Kona Ice and The Beanery serving treats after worship this Sunday.
Youth Mission Trip
Eighty students and adults are spending their week up in Alexandria, Minnesota. Today is their last day working on home repair projects for local residents who are physically and financially unable to complete projects on their own. When not building wheelchair ramps, painting houses, or skirting trailer homes, our missionaries engaged in devotions, worship, and team building—helping them grow in their relationships with God and each another. They are returning Sunday. Check out our social media pages for updates and photos from the team. And pray they finish strong and have safe travels back home!
Simplicity
I’m journaling about simplicity through the month of July. Here are some of my highlights. I hope they are helpful for you:
- Significance isn’t the opposite of simplicity. Significance is the product of simplicity.
- Letting go is often the first and always a necessary step to simplicity.
- Simplicity doesn’t look at what your neighbor has unless your neighbor doesn’t have enough. Comparison and envy destroy. Service and generosity build.
- Simplicity sets boundaries on other’s people drama.