Encountering the God of Surprises

ALOHA! Many of our folks are traveling to visit family and for vacation this month, and we pray for their safety and lots of good times. As we continue our Summer Sermon Road Trip: Following God in Real Life, we move deeper into Jacob’s story. So far, Jacob has already made a mess of things, fled from home, and found himself alone on the road with an uncertain future ahead of him. This Sunday, in Genesis 28:10-19a, he stops for the night, uses a stone for a pillow (not exactly luxury accommodations!) and has one of the most surprising dreams in Scripture. Jacob sees a stairway between heaven and earth, with angels ascending and descending, and wakes to realize that God was present in that place all along. His words become the heart of the message: “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it.” This week’s sermon, “The God of Surprises,” invites us to wonder where God may already be at work in the ordinary, unexpected, or overlooked places of our lives. Please join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. in the Chapel, or on Facebook Live as we continue this journey of faith together!

LAST SUNDAY in worship, we focused on Genesis 25:19-34, and found that the twin brothers Jacob and Esau had a complicated relationship from the get-go. One day Esau came in hungry from the field, Jacob had a pot of stew boiling, and before long a family birthright was traded for dinner. We explored how God continues to work in our lives even when we complicate things ourselves. Have you found yourself trying to control people or situations this week that God already has well in hand? How did it go?

THIS SUNDAY, the Confirming Faith Adult Sunday School class meets again. Our topics will be Living as a Christian and Prayer and Worship. Join us in the Vicar’s Office after worship.

DEAR SIBLINGS IN CHRIST, I am grateful for the many ways you share in the life and ministry of St. Timothy’s. Please continue to pray for our leaders and ministers, for me as your vicar, and for every member of our St. Timothy’s ʻohana. May God grant us faith for the journey, hope for the road ahead, and the assurance that God’s presence is always with us.

Aloha Ke Akua!
Rev. Pete+