Words from the Pastor

You are a caregiver. I say that because you have probably had a conversation with someone who is lonely. I say that because you probably know someone who is going through a time of darkness. These people are wanting to hear healing words from you. But what kind of words will you share? 

Some of the words we choose to say are helpful….some are not so much. I came across this helpful list of things to say and things not to say:

What strikes me about these two lists is that one side ends a conversation (the left side). The other side keeps a conversation going (the right side). Perhaps the most productive thing we can do when offering Christian care is to keep a conversation going. Think about it. Loneliness cannot be solved when we simply share a wise truth. Depression cannot be managed by simply sharing a devotion. These challenges of life need conversations and prayer.

Jesus opened others up for conversation. Consider the moment that he met Blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52. Jesus was embarking the city of Jericho when he saw Blind Bartimaeus on the side of the road. Jesus undoubtedly knew what the problem was with Bartimaeus. Jesus undoubtedly knew how to give the cure. Before Jesus healed Bartimaeus, he asked what he wanted, carefully listened and gave a reply. Jesus engaged in conversation.

Some of the best conversations take place over time. In time, we are better able to understand a person’s thought and communication patterns. In time, we are better able to pick up on recurring themes. In time we are better able to pick up on changes.

You are a caregiver. Don’t look for the quick fix. Be looking for moments that you can care by opening others up in conversation.

In His Joy,

Pastor Jeremy Lucke

Peace by the Numbers

Adult Bible Study

All are welcome for Adult Sunday School in the summer at 8:30 AM. Elder Merve Munster will be beginning a six week study on each week’s Epistle lesson. What will those lessons be? Here is the plan:

Plan for Worship

Unique family with a Unique mission

Jordan & Jamie with their two boys are soon moving overseas to Northeast Africa. They will be learning the Arabic language, making local friends and seeing what God might do through them. They will be in a country with many millions of Muslims and will be looking for ways to help people both spiritually and practically, especially those living in urban poverty. On Sunday the 11th they will share about why they are going, where they are going, and how you can pray for them & stay in contact with them in the coming years.

Update from the Backpack Ministry

To date, we have handed out 93 backpacks and 61 grocery bags filled with food, toiletries, blankets, hats, gloves, tarps, masks, hand sanitizer etc.  We have slowed a bit recently simple because I went on vacation, and then began substitute teaching again in our schools, so I have less time to work.  As you know through our local newspaper, the homeless camps have been told them must move out, leaving many with no where to go.  The HOPE team, sponsored by Benton County and Corvallis have been able to secure some housing through a local hotel and some wooden shelters.  These are wonderful, but will only take care of a small portion ( 20%??) of our homeless. We will continue our mission to help where ever we can.  Allison Hobgood, who spoke to Peace on one of our Zoom meetings, is the Executive Director of the Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center (CDDC) serving homeless people M-F in downtown Corvallis.   I asked about their needs and she shared the following immediate needs with me:     

     Clothing: 

women’s jeans/pants sizes 3,4,5,6               

men’s jeans/pants sizes 32,34,36

Hoodies ( sweatshirts with a hood, either pullover or zip-up )  sizes L and XL

They also need to go coffee cups, fruit and bread for their street outreach

I have been blessed to make some more connections in the area, and I have a former student that reached out with coffee cups and some bread for the homeless at CDDC.  God is working through us!

Thanks to some cash donations from a few of you, I am able to purchase some of the needs for the CDDC.

I did ask Allison Hobgood about her thoughts on the “clearing out” of the homeless camps.  She believes that since many will have to move out of town…it will be harder for them to reach the CDDC, but that they will still make the trip in if not as often.  She thinks the regular clientele will continue, and fears that when the rent moratorium lifts and people lose their shelter, there will be even more homeless to serve.  Oregon Housing Authority is predicting a huge increase in homeless folks due to pandemic fall out. Our work is not done. 

IF you have donations of clothing, cups, fruit or bread, please drop them on my doorstep: 2223 Applegate Street-Philomath and I will make sure the CDDC gets them. The sooner the better….I will be making a donation trip to CDDC on most Tuesday mornings. 

God Bless you all- and thank you for your heart for those less fortunate .