You need a little background on these thank you notes.
Their daughter lives out in Los Angeles now. She was a theater major in college, and her dream is to work in the movie industry. She shares that dream with a friend; hoping to make their dream a reality, together they produced, directed and costarred in an independent film, On Oak Island. They entered their film in Saugatuck's Waterfront Film Festival, where it premiered. Excited as they were by its admission into the festival, these fledgling actors were desperately anxious, worrying that the only ones watching their movie would be the two of them. What could possibly be worse for any actor than to put your heart and soul into a performance no one came to see?The little movie house where it played seats about fifty. In the audience were forty-five members of Good Shepherd. In the Monday morning mail we received a card that read, What you did went above and beyond thanks! Inside the card were these notes from two movie stars:
Dear Friends! I am so grateful to you all for the amazing display of love and support that you gave Joseph and myself when "On Oak Island" premiered at the Waterfront Film Festival. You made that day exciting and joyous! I will cherish those memories, as well as your friendships, forever. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Love, Elizabeth Willaman
Waterfront was (believe it or not) my first experience watching the film with an audience. Thank you for making that experience exceed even my greatest hopes and dreams. That night will be forever burned into my memory, and when I tell and retell the story in the years to come, I will tell it as one of the greatest night s of my life! Joseph Horn
The reason we bring our children to church is so they might meet the risen Christ, and in meeting him be saved. We want to rescue them from sin, death and the devil, from shame and fear, from broken hearts and broken dreams. We need the Body of Christ to reach out to them and lift them up in Christ's embrace. The word in your Bible for reaching out like that is evangelism. The word in your heart is Jesus.
Join us the Sundays of Pentecost, my friends, and see how easy it can be to reach out for the sake of Christ. Bring your kids.
Pastor Jim
With great power the apostles gave their testimony of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not one needy person among them. Acts 4:33-34
From the Shepherd's Song Newsletter -- July 2006
Copyright 2006 by Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
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E-mail your comments and questions to Pastor Jim in care of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at gslc@sirus.com.