LifeTIMES
A monthly ministry of Lord of Life Lutheran Church of Maple Grove, Minnesota
May 2012
© 2009 Will Folland wildlifephotology@zenfolio.com
Hope
is the thing wi th feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune wi thout the words, And never stops at all… —Emily Dickinson
Songs in the Tune of Hope
M
usic and worship go together like praise and prayer. For some Christians, music may be a preferred form of worship with instrumental, melodies, or lyrics in glory to God. For others, worship may be most meaningful through Bible readings, testimonies, or sermons. Here at Lord of Life both music and worship are integrated to be an inspirational time of refreshment and renewal in our Lutheran faith. Perhaps during a recent worship service, you’ve listened to a young child’s sweet voice singing Amazing Grace. Although you may have heard that song many times before, perhaps it brought tears to your eyes and tugged on your heartstrings. It may be within those precious beautiful moments when the Holy Spirit is at work within us. So strong were Martin Luther’s beliefs about music and worship that he wrote these fiery words: “Next to the word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. It controls our hearts, minds, and spirits. A person who does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God does not deserve to be
building hope
A world of hope begins at home. At first glance that statement seems pretty simple, but there is more. While many of us were blessed to grow up in a safe and healthy home environment, unfortunately nearly 20 percent of the Twin Cities’ population cannot say the same. Many families’ annual income is under $35,000; they spend a majority of that income for housing not leaving enough for needs such as good nutrition, health care, transportation, education, and saving for the future. Building hope for better days can be ahead—be a part of that hope! Last year with the help of churches including Lord of Life, corporations, and volunteers, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity made home ownership a reality for over 50 families. It was a very good year for building hope. Jobsite dates this year are June 4-15. For more details, visit lordoflife.org/habitat. Questions? Contact Steve Monson at essmo@comcast.net.
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“For me to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21a