Two months out Jesus was taken to homebound members,
and a smaller version was handed out during the local Swedish Day festival. They gave out about 200 Jesus pictures. About 30 members actively posted pictures on the church’s Facebook page. “Jesus was fortunate to find himself at a
Jesus visited Lake Superior last summer thanks to the members of Geneva [Ill.] Lutheran Church.
Summertime Jesus
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible (Hebrews 11:1-3).
L
ast summer, Geneva [Ill.] Lutheran Church’s summer theme was “Making Faith Visible,” based on Hebrews 11:1-3. “It seems that the writer of Hebrews is talking
about not seeing faith, but turns it around in verse 3—what is seen is made from things that are not visible,” said its pas- tor, Trudy Stoffel (
pastortrudy@sbcglobal.net). The congregation committed to making their faith vis-
ible and did something to help remember that wherever they go—even on summer vacation—Jesus goes with them. Pre- school and elementary students colored Jesus artwork; cop- ies were made and laminated. Members then took photos of Jesus in various places, which the church posted each week. “Children would come to see their pictures and where
others had gone with Jesus,” Stoffel explained, adding that the experience was a great conversation starter. “People were curious about what we were doing and would ask. That was pretty amazing.” So where did Jesus spend the summer? “Some people enjoyed having Jesus riding with them in
their car,” Stoffel said. “Others had Jesus in their bags—ready to snap a picture doing ordinary things.”
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Chicago Blackhawks playoff game, though we believe it was hard work and practice that led to the Hawks winning the Stanley Cup, not divine intervention,” Stoffel said. “Jesus did get a picture with the real Stanley Cup, one of our members has a cousin who plays for them. Jesus went to a lot of Cubs games and even our local Kane County Cougars, but did not make it to a Chi- cago White Sox game.
“He met Bishop Wayne Miller at the Metropolitan Chi-
cago Synod Assembly and went to Sweden. He had a photo with a member who turned 100. He waded in several bodies of water—whether he walked on them I can’t say for sure. He posed with a lot of different statues. Jesus was even excited to find souvenirs with his name on them. “But perhaps the greatest things that Jesus did were ordi-
nary: he went to the dentist, the vet, the pool and the park, the ice cream shop. He even helped some kids brush their teeth at night.” The biggest surprise? How Jesus affected the community.
Brenda Gonzalez came to Geneva Lutheran for the first time during the Swedish Day festival. “What better way to join a community than through a church?” she said. Almost a year later, her kids are still talking about how
the “Jesus on a stick” they received accompanied them all over Geneva last summer. And this spring, they joined the church.
Good one! Pillows for patients
For 18 years, Christ Lutheran Church in Fal- mouth, Mass., has provided Falmouth Hospital with more than 30,000 post-surgery pillows for patients in the recovery room, intensive care and medical/surgery floors.
Send congregational stories—both those for a specifi c month/holiday or your best timeless idea—to
julie.sevig@
thelutheran.org.
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