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Pastor’s Ponderings – Anywhere But There

Pastor's Ponderings
Greatest Hits

Dear Glen Mar friends,

The last day of high school, each year, the teachers would play “See you in September” on the intercom after the last bell rang for the year. My soundtrack for the summer was always a combination of “current” songs from whatever year it was (“Walkin’ on Sunshine,” “Cruel Summer,” “Boys of Summer”) and oldies from my parents’ time that I loved (“Summertime Blues,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “Dancin’ in the Street”).

As Pastor Melaina shared last week, music is so often a way people connect to God. People often get just as much or more of their theology from the songs we sing than the sermons we hear! This is one reason why I love when our kids are involved in music and choirs in church—it forms who they are in Christ and teaches them so effectively in ways they will always remember. From “Jesus Loves Me” to “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” to “Who You Say I Am” music is prayer, and creed, and affirmation. It is lament, and joy and healing.

I share Pastor Melaina’s love of music, so I’m particularly excited about our summer “Greatest Hits” series, where we look at some of the best-loved kid friendly stories from scripture paired up with songs worth sharing. This week, we’ll look at Jonah’s struggle with God (and a whale), with the sermon “Anywhere but There” and the Greatest Hit Song will be “Forgiveness” by Matthew West. I encourage you to watch and listen as we journey toward Sunday. Because of YouTube copyright restrictions, we won’t be playing it in worship, so I’d like for you to check it out on your own. If you don’t, you won’t be lost, don’t worry! We’ll also have communion, pray for our nation, and sing some familiar and beloved hymns/songs.

Our Hurley Team is serving in Appalachia now and will be back this weekend. We send prayers for safe travels and for openness and transformation and growth. And … please sign up for a couple hours of service as part of Local Mission Week! The week of service is 7/25-29, but we need signups by 7/15 or so, so that the people we are serving can know we are coming. Check it out here!

See you in Church,
Pastor Mandy

For more information on what’s going on at Glen Mar, check out our blog “This Just In.”

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