Dear Glen Mar friends,

I’ve been watching the Olympics with joy this year and it’s making me want to go to France (never been). One of my favorite parts is seeing glimpses of Paris (again, never been—hint, hint, to my spouse). I have noticed that in nearly every single event, you can see the Eiffel Tower in the background. Organizers clearly thought about this iconic Parisian symbol and planned events around it. To see cyclist Kristen Faulkner (who just learned to cycle 6 years ago) cross the finish line in the shadow of the tower (with no one behind her at all!) to win the gold is an image that will stick with me for sure! Also, the gold medals given at the Olympics have a piece of the Eiffel Tower in them… so cool! The Tower, so beautiful, iconic and central, has been called an ”urban lighthouse” for Paris.

I wonder what it would look like if we put Jesus in the center of our life, like the Eiffel Tower is in the “center” of the Olympic Games. Picture it—Christ as center of our living, lighthouse to illumine all we see and think and feel. Christ as the backdrop of all our victories and defeats, and the “home place” we can always return to. Jesus wants to be that for us, and wants “Follower of Christ” to be the center of who we are in all seasons of our living. Paul says that Christ lives in us once we become believers… and we are “marked as Christ’s own forever” as it says in one version of our baptismal liturgy. Like a gold medal over our chest, Christ lives within, and calls us forth to give all we have to give to discipleship. In Christ, we have already won the victory—and in Christ, “winning” looks like service and love.

Thank you for being part of Glen Mar’s church family and for the precious gifts God has given each of us, to be a blessing to God’s church and to others!

See you in church,

Pastor Mandy