Homecoming

This summer will be my fourth working at LHUMC, Georgia Sides’ third and Ropa Moyo’s second.

Each summer has looked a little bit different for each of us. There has been an update to the church, our job descriptions sound a little different or our ministry focus has changed.

This summer, I have begun a year-long fellowship with LHUMC working with Feed Lake Highlands, the LHUMC Youth Ministry and LHUMC Communications. Georgia is interning for Children’s ministry, experiencing the joy of seeing the familiar and new faces of kids learning about Jesus through growing summer camps like VBS, Pine Cove Camp in the City, and Kids Mission Week. And Ropa is concentrating on the Outreach Ministry at The New Room, learning administrative aspects of outreach while also pouring in to the children and youth of the Lake Highlands Community.

Our job descriptions might sound a little different or our ministries have changed, but I think we can all agree the sweetest aspect of our summers at LHUMC is coming back to a place where we feel so known and loved and are shown so much grace as we grow.

While writing this I was reflecting on John 14:1-2 (“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”), and while in these specific verses Jesus is referring to preparing a place for us in Heaven, I cannot help but think these two verses apply to summer internships at LHUMC as well. Speaking as someone who has participated in many different ministry areas, I can say there are many “rooms” of ministry or ways to serve the LHUMC community, but I also know that no matter what each summer brings, when I begin to reflect in August, I know that God has gone before me. Through a mission trip that was somehow both exhausting and life-giving, through VBS week where screams of excitement due to reciting a Bible verse from memory can be heard consistently, and through all the stories of showing love throughout the community of Lake Highlands, God’s hand can be seen in it all.

And while it might sound flippant, I fully trust that this summer will be no different.

This fall, when Ropa begins her junior year and first semester as a nursing student at Stephen F. Austin State University, Georgia will begin her senior year as an education major at Texas A&M University, and I will continue on staff at LHUMC. I know we will be able to look back and see that God was at work through LHUMC and beyond in the difficult times and the mountain top moments of this summer.

I know God has prepared so many blessings throughout the summer, as well as many learning opportunities, so I hope you will continue to pray for all the summer activities, the many ministries that are continuing to do amazing things, and selfishly, that you will continue to pray for us as we continue to serve this congregation that has become our church home.