Celebrating the Generations!

What a smashing success our “Rome: Paul and the Underground Church” Vacation Bible School was this year!
So many children, youth and adults gathered for five nights to sing, worship, create, listen, eat, and play together! Carrie and I enjoyed immensely standing back and observing the ministry that was happening between and within
members and friends of all ages of Fish Lake Lutheran!

If you recall, it was extremely hot and humid that week in early August. 

The highlight of the week for me I think, was noticing one evening during snack time, that a small group of children and their adult leader, in search of a nice, cool shady spot to sit, ended up in our cemetery, on a random granite bench, which happened to be the grave of Shirley Colliander. My first thought was, “How perfect! Wouldn’t Shirley be so pleased to have a group of young people gathered around her grave enjoying the cool shade of a hot and humid evening at Vacation Bible School?”

Indeed, she would.
Shirley loved children. Throughout multiple generations Shirley loved the children and youth of Fish Lake Lutheran. And they loved her. It was obvious that in her life, children were drawn to her, and now, even in her death, at least for that one hot and humid night at VBS, unknown to them, children were again drawn to her, as they sat on, near, and around her grave enjoying a cool, quiet place to enjoy their snack.

What this represented to me upon my initial observation was our congregation, and the unique way in which Fish Lake Lutheran, has, and continues to bring multiple generations together to sing, worship, create, listen, eat and play!

I paused then, and I pause now, to thank God for the opportunity to lead such a congregation—a congregation that truly values and celebrates the different generations that represent its’ membership— a congregation where one can find rest, renewal and respite both in the presence of those saints who have gone before us, as well as in the presence of those saints who dutifully and faithfully are serving our church today. 

Blessings,
Pr. Dale