From the Pastor's Desk

After a great Fathers' Day weekend at Our Savior, Day Camp began today. This is one of the noisiest, most energetic weeks of the year at Our Savior. About 70 kids from Our Savior and our community gather for a week of singing, activities, games, praying and all kinds of fun. College age counselors, along with our wonderful teenage helpers and AAA adults (Available, Authentic and Affirming) who are support staff (feeding and helping in all kinds of ways) make for a terrific week for our campers and for everyone involved. On Thursday night at 7pm our campers will share some of the songs and other things they've learned this week followed by an ice cream social. Everyone is welcome!

Also, this is kind of the 'kick off' week for camps this summer at Our Savior. This coming Sunday afternoon 8 of our confirmation students will be off to Luther Springs, our church camp east of Gainesville, for a week of confirmation camp. Then later this summer another group of younger campers will be off to Luther Springs and high school campers off to Lutherock, in North Carolina, on Sugar Mountain.

These camping experiences have always been formative, wonderful experiences for our young people. But in today's world, where our young people are so bombarded by electronic media (not just TV, but also ipods, DVDs, cell phones, computers, Facebook, Twitter, and the list goes on) these kind of camp experiences, where our young people get to "unplug" and experience nature and real face to face community, are all the more necessary and valuable. Many thanks to all who support these efforts through your volunteering and financial support. As Garrison Keillor (of the Prarie Home Companion) says, "Whatever you do for a child is never wasted."

God's work; our hands.
Have a blessed week.
Pastor A.C.'Jack' Diehl III