Pastor Geml- Welcome to the SED-

The Installation Service for 

Rev. Mike Geml was on July 12, 2020

at Concordia Lutheran Church 

in Conover, North Carolina.

They are from left to right:

Pastor Ward Yunker, Vicar Morgan Lane, 

Pastor Mike Geml, Pastor Anton Lagoutine,

 Pastor Paul Nelson, Pastor Dennis Quackenboss

In these days of Covid 19 precautions-

 this was the "the Look" for the service.

Welcome to Pastor Mike 

and his wife Ruth to the Southeastern District.

IF-Then- A devotion

Romans 8:1-11 We learn early on that life             Is framed by “If- Then” IF we do something            THEN something happens Everything from our diet             To our work To our relationships            Is framed by “If-Then” It follows then logically            That we carry that thinking Into our spiritual connection with God            If we do “something”, then God will respond In yesterday’s epistle lesson            Paul goes to great lengths To offer the gospel’s glorious contradiction            To our human way of thinking “There is therefore no condemnation            For those who are in Christ Jesus” he writes Our connection with God isn’t about what we do            But what God has already done Through the cross of Christ            God took the initiative To restore the broken relationship            Which our willful heart created In Christ, God has been faithful            Overcoming our faithlessness We who should be excluded            Are now embraced by God’s loving heart It is God’s scandalous love            That motivates our servant lifestyle IF we are so forgiven and claimed             THEN we offer that same love to those around us Living as Jesus intended            Brings risks and vulnerability The logic of the gospel’s “IF” however,             Compels us to live out a compassionate “THEN” A Devotion by Rev. Donald Schaefer,  Northern Region Mission Engagement Facilitator Southeastern District LCMS

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Spiritual Connectivity with Social Distancing

SPIRITUAL CONNECTIVITY with SOCIAL DISTANCING

My sister and I went to church together on Sunday.

We were each behind closed doors, for fear of the virus,

but Christ connected us.

800 miles and one time zone separated us,

but Christ connected us.

We wore pajamas and slippers while Christ dressed us in His own righteousness.

We hadn’t planned it that way,

but Christ connected us.

Because we were gathered together, in His name,

Christ connected us.

Worshiping with the family of Pilgrim through Facebook,

Christ connected us.

My sister and I will worship together again,

Christ still connects us.

Our parents, our sister, and my husband, our grandparents, our in-laws, many cousins and friends are in glory,

Christ still connects us.

We can sing together again, with all the saints,

Christ will connect us.

Thanks to contributing writer-

 Natalie Grace Hartwig for 

"bringing us together."