Leviticus 18:1-2, 19:9-10 – And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the Lord your God.” … “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”
It interests me that God gives such specific instructions for how people are to harvest their wheat and their grapes. He tells them to do the very opposite of the way most people think nowadays: that we should try to get every last grape, every last kernel of wheat.
God had a good reason, of course. The fallen or overlooked harvest belonged to anyone who could collect it—which normally meant the poor, the hungry, and the foreigners, who had no land or harvest of their own. By giving them a share in the harvest of others, God provided for their needs and also taught the rest of Israel to live generously.
It’s not a bad principle, to build a little extra into your own plans for the sake of people in need. For example, I’ve been to church conferences—and at the end of the day, there are generally pencils and pads of paper left lying on the tables. Those helped my Vietnamese church supply its schoolchildren. Or there may be food left over after a church potluck or lunch; could that be given to people who need it? The LWML already uses mite boxes to gather up loose pocket change; that money has funded mission work around the world.
Living generously requires two attitudes—first, a concern for our fellow human beings, whoever they are and wherever they come from. All of them matter to Jesus; and He calls us to love them as He has loved us (see Matthew 15:21-40). In the same way we should leave no one out of our own care, whether they are poor, disabled, immigrants, children, or people who are unwanted by the rest of our society for any reason.
The second attitude we need is one that pays attention to overlooked gifts. After Jesus feeds the two large crowds, He directs the disciples to pick up the leftovers. He notices a food source that could be used for the poor—and He uses it.
In the end, we live generously because God Himself has been so incredibly generous to us. He doesn’t make us live on scraps from His table; no, He saw our need and He sent us the best He had—His own dear Son Jesus, to become our Savior and to rescue us from the power of evil. Through His death and resurrection Jesus bought us back to be God’s children, forgiven and living forever. With such gifts as that, how could we not be generous to the people around us?
(This Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.)
The 12 disciples were chosen by Jesus to follow Him, learn from Him, and eventually spread the gospel to the world. They were ordinary men—fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots—whom Jesus transformed into bold witnesses of His message. This Bible study will explore their lives, calling, and how their faith impacted the early church.
Bible study will continue this Sunday @ 10:30 following Fellowship in the sanctuary.
When someone needs help, we don’t walk away—we stop, care, and do what we can. Being kind means showing love with our actions, even when it’s not easy. Everyone can be a helper, no matter who they are.
Be the one who stops to help.
JESUS CONNECTIONS will be taking a summer break ☀️
We’ll be pausing our meetups and events over the summer, but don’t worry—we’ll be back in full swing once school starts! Keep an eye out for updates as we gear up for a fresh semester of fellowship, growth, and Jesus-infused connection.
Until then, enjoy a restful and joy-filled summer—see you soon!
No matter if they’re crispy, crunchy, soft, chewy, thin, thick, or sweet we will love them! Perfect for sharing.
You are what you eat, so eat something sweet!
Aaron Byers (Helen Cantrell's son) - Diagnosed with Metastatic Malignant Melanoma.
Helen Cantrell - Health issues
Kris Crawford - Thankful for healing, wear sunscreen so as not to endure skin cancer.
Casey Ishmael (Morgan’s neighbor) – Recovering from a motorcycle accident with a broken back, all ribs, and cheekbone. Prayers for healing, strength, and a quick recovery.
Daniel Hood - Lord, please hear and answer my prayer to find a new love in my life.
Camden Goolsby - Camden was involved in a lawn mowing accident and suffered severe injury to his right hand.
Eddie Hensen - Recently diagnosed with stage 2 kidney cancer. Please keep me in your prayers—for healing, strength, and peace.
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers.
Prayer requests can now be sent to stmarkelko@gmail.com.
Gentlemen, it’s time for food, faith, and fellowship! Join us this Friday, July 10th, 8:30 a.m. @ Toki Ona for a delicious breakfast, great conversation, and time to grow together in faith.
This is a wonderful chance to connect with other men, share experiences, and encourage each other in our walk with Christ. Everyone is welcome, whether you're new or a long-time member!
Bring a friend, and let’s make it a morning to remember!
Join us in a joyful celebration at St. Mark Lutheran Church as we witness and give thanks to God for the Ordination and Installation of Jacob W. Eisinger as our new Pastor. Saturday July 26th at 2:30 p.m. here at St. Mark Lutheran Church.
This is a special moment in the life of our congregation, and we warmly invite all members and friends to attend. A dinner will immediately follow the service in the fellowship hall.
Come and rejoice with us as we welcome Pastor Eisinger to serve among us in Word and Sacrament!
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news." - Romans 10:15 (ESV)
Thank you to everyone for joining our choir for this special occasion to help celebrate Vicar Jake’s Ordination & Installation!
Our next & final practice will be on Saturday, July 26th @ 1:30 p.m., directly before Jake’s Installation service.
Let your voice be part of this momentous occasion!