Lately, each Sunday we start our liturgy with the song "This is the feast of victory for our God". Whenever I hear those words, I think to myself, yes, this physical gathering of the congregation, right here, right now, this is the feast! We are choosing to sit together to honor God, surrounded by fellow human beings, instead of sitting at home alone working on yet another online crossword puzzle.

But then two Sundays ago, I had to stay home and isolate due to exposure to Covid. And while I was watching the worship service streaming live on YouTube, I asked myself, am I still part of that feast? I mean, with the exception of maybe Christina running the cameras, nobody even knew I was there. Like they say, on the Internet, nobody knows you're a Lutheran.

A confession: I didn't actually take communion at home that Sunday. But as the song's composer wrote in 2003 , the song was intended as a Song of Praise, just as we use it at CGS, and not as a song about the eucharist. And while some of its lyrics come from the Book of Revelation, the word "feast" doesn't appear in that book at all. So what kinds of feast did I miss out on?

Personally, I missed the feast of the senses that is seeing and hearing and greeting people in the pews. I missed the abundance of familiar faces. And after the sixteen-plus months of remote-only worship services in 2020 and 2021, I missed the enjoyment that comes from the still somewhat "unusual" experience of worshiping in-person.

I'm grateful that CGS still offers live streaming of worship services each Sunday. And I'm even more grateful when I can attend in-person.

Gregg Zigler, council member

It is exciting to watch your enthusiasm and energy grow for events that; are re-emerging after having been put on hold for the past several years! Just a friendly reminder that as things go back to being “the way they’ve always been,” there might have been a few changes along the way. Our building buzzes with use from organizations and groups that meet here weekly, including the sanctuary. Please check with Christina before you plan to use the church building for your activity so you will not be disappointed because the room you want is already in use or you disturb another group who has a scheduled meeting time. Use the newsletter by submitting articles the week before the event you are planning so the congregation can be informed of all church activities. As the staff begins to plan for the months ahead, please let Daniel, Rey or Pastor Jill know if you are thinking about adding any special activities to the worship schedule, especially during Advent and Christmas. We would like to know by October 1st so that we can plan worship accordingly. Reach out to folk who are relatively new to the congregation so they are invited to events. Remember, newcomers, including your Bridge Pastor don’t have a built in memory of “the way things have always been. “And finally, if you are a relative newcomer to CGS, talk to Pastor Jill about your interests and we can try together to open new possibilities to share and learn together. Enjoy the month of August as the lazier summer days turn into a fuller schedule starting in September!

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