Dear
Fellow Children of God,
It is easy to look at the
turmoil in today’s world and find reason for disappointment, and reason to
complain. However, it is also good to
acknowledge and give thanks when we see the goodness of the hand of God in our
lives. One source of disappointment in
today’s world, one of the results of sin, is the division and conflict in the
world around us. Therefore, what a
blessing it is when many people from different walks of life, instead of
finding reason to disagree and fight, discover ways to work together for a good cause.
On Saturday, June 10, St. John again served a picnic for the community of
Palmer, and the Mat-Su. I looked back at
my records. The first time St. John held
such a picnic and parade entry was in 2008.
Consequently, since there was no picnic in 2020 because of COVID, the
2023 picnic was the 15th annual St. John Community Picnic.
You know that our world has changed since 2008. About 200 people attended that first
picnic. In contrast, this year we fed
between 1000 and 1200 people. More
people eating requires more food, costs more money, and takes more
volunteers. But, church members and
community partners came through, again!
I looked at this year’s sign-up sheets for church volunteers. A total of 94 people committed to helping, yet
MORE people actually showed up to work.
We asked about 10 business to support this event, but in the end we
wrote thank you letters to 16 partners from the community. At the picnic we were able to take an
offering for the Family Promise ministry to homeless families. The St. John Youth held a Yard Sale and
raised funds for their activities. Perhaps
best of all, the picnic gave the people of Palmer an opportunity to gather as
family and friends, to enjoy a nice day, and to celebrate our community.
God creates each person as a unique
individual. It is a miracle of God when
He works unity out of our diversity.
Paul writes in Romans 12, “4 Just
as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have
the same function, 5 so in Christ we who
are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5) (See also 1 Corinthians 12:12
ff.) People working together, unity, is
God’s plan for His people and our Lord’s desire for the world. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus
prayed for His church, that they would know and would be unified in His
love. “20 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will
believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world
may believe that you have sent me. 22 I
have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are
one: 23 I in them and you in me. May
they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and
have loved them even as you have loved me.”
(John 17:20-23)
Unfortunately, even those who believe in Jesus can and do find sinful
reasons to disagree and divide. Yet, if anyone
can overcome differences, it is those who know Jesus and believe in Jesus. Christians know that all are children of God through
creation. God’s people also know that Jesus’ death on the cross forgives the
sin which divides us. When belief in God’s love for us in Jesus unifies God’s
people, they often find ways to get along, to work together.
I am disappointed and saddened
by the disagreements and divisions in our country, in our world, even in Christ’s
church. But, I rejoice when I see people
work together for good, for the purposes of God. Sometimes,
when God’s people do work together their actions speak of God’s love of good
for our world. When God’s people act in
love and service, their actions can bring people together. When there is a project which serves others,
people unify around that activity. It
happened again this year.
Thank you to the many volunteers who served. Thank you to the generous businesses who
supported this celebration of community.
Thanks to all who worked to bring people together at the 2023 St. John
Colony Days Picnic.
A Child of God, Rejoicing
to See Many People and Businesses Work Together for Good!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. We have many pictures from the St. John
Colony Days parade entry and picnic.
·
Here are pictures from the parade.
o These
pictures were taken by local photographer, Ted Bell. https://photos.app.goo.gl/YyfsSmernK4CfLoeA
o Other
St. John members and friends took these pictures of our people working on the
float and marching in the parade. https://photos.app.goo.gl/f59SdRr4UPruJujz5
·
Here are quite a few pictures from the St. John
Colony Days Picnic. I took many
pictures, but the really good photos
were taken by St. John member, Mary Colberg.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/nPDEAhZ7PKYXAhQK6
P.P.S. I continue working hard in my gardens, (and
also at Mary’s new home). I have most of
the front flower gardens finished. Here
are some pictures of the front flower gardens at our home. Also, all my
vegetables are now sprouting and growing, but I need to weed the vegetable
garden, now that I am almost finished with the front flower gardens. https://photos.app.goo.gl/FxExKmvbX5u24bub6
P.P.P.S. The St. John Pavilion
was dedicated on Sunday, June 4, after late worship in memory of my dad, Robert
E. Rockey. In case you missed it, here
are some pictures of that event. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ei5EXFfbui5PgqYr9
*******
ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired
at the end of August 2019 from serving as senior full-time pastor of St. John Lutheran Church
in Palmer, AK. I was writing a weekly
devotion previously entitled, "Thoughts from the Pastor." When I retired many asked me to continue
writing these devotions. So I have
continued writing. However, with life's
changes I now call this weekly devotion "Journeys Through Life as a Child
of God." Since I am no longer
senior pastor at St. John, I felt it right to only send this message to those
who asked to receive it.
So, if you stopped receiving these
devotions and wondered why, now you understand.
And, if you are now receiving these devotions and do not wish to receive
them, please let me know, and I’ll gladly remove your name from my distribution
list. My e-mail address is
jonrock53@mtaonline.net.
My prayer is that these devotions help
each of you in your daily walk with our Lord, Jesus.
*******
Jonathan Rockey
Child of God
Husband, Father, Son, Grandfather
Pastor Emeritus, St. John
Lutheran Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
“1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished
on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1
John 3:1 a)
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