Taking Your Faith with You Wherever You Go

What’s a breeze to pack, takes up little room, always comes in handy, tailored to fit you, and is easy to grow: Your Faith!

In this past weekend’s gospel, Luke 7:1-10, the centurion proclaims to Jesus -- just say the word and my servant will be healed.  He speaks with such great faith, with openness and possibility that it stands out to Jesus.  Scriptures tell us that Jesus was amazed at his faith, even saying he hadn’t found faith like this in all of Israel! 

Would Jesus say that about your faith? Or mine? Do we say and show faith each day? Are we regularly using our faith in our daily life? Is our faith evident and woven within our day?

A fun way to show an outward expression of faith that is catching on at Spirit of Grace for the summer and was introduced to us just a few weeks ago is FLAT JESUS.   Don and Charlotte Christensen, pictured above, had their colored & laminated Flat Jesus near their hearts at worship on Sunday!

What are “The Adventures of Flat Jesus?” FLAT JESUS was created at St. James Episcopal Church in Birmingham, Michigan as a way to deepen their parishioners connecting to each other.  It quickly blossomed into an international sensation with hundreds of FLAT JESUS being sent to disciples around the world.  People have loved taking FLAT JESUS out to dinner, to the beach, to hang out with family and meeting new friends all over town.  The original “flat” character was Flat Stanley, star of a book by Jeff Brown in which a boy has remarkable adventures after

waking up one day to discover he is flattened to half-an-inch thick.  Today, schoolchildren write letters accompanied by Flat Stanley to friends and family, who take photos of the paper fellow posing at various local sites.  It’s an amazing adventure. 

This summer take Flat Jesus with you as a fun tangible reminder of taking your faith with you in your daily life; take pictures wherever your travels take you and Flat Jesus and send them into the church office:  churchoffice@soglutheran.org.  Faith is an      adventure & Flat Jesus helps us share the story!  Take FLAT JESUS with you and see what     happens!  

Safe Travels, Happy Trails & See you in      Worship!

Pr. Rita Gardner Tweed

Transition Lead Pastor