Dear Friends in Christ,
As we find ourselves in the heart of summer, I pray that the peace of our Lord will rest deeply upon your homes and our church family.
Not long ago, my wife, my son, and I went to see Toy Story 5. Since the first Toy Story was released in 1995, our family has watched this series together many times over the past thirty years. As we left the theater, our conversation naturally turned to those earlier days, and I was reminded again what a precious gift it is to share memories with those we love.
As I looked around the theater that day, I noticed that most of the audience consisted of parents with young children. There were also several grandparents enjoying the movie with their grandchildren. Watching them, I couldn’t help but think, “These parents want to share with their children a story they themselves loved when they were young.” There was something beautiful about seeing different generations watching the same story, laughing at the same scenes, and sharing in the joy of familiar memories. It felt as if the memories of one generation were naturally being passed
on to the next.
Toy Story is, of course, a story about the adventures of toys. Beneath the adventure lies something deeper: the value of relationships and the memories we create by spending time together. Times change, and the world around us changes, but the memories we share have a remarkable way of bringing us back together.
As I reflected on this, I realized that this is how our community lives. Just as parents share their memories with their children, and as mentors in faith pass down their stories to the next generation, our community grows by carrying one another’s memories and holding one another’s with care. Like the families gathered to watch Toy Story together, our church is a community where generations worship together, pray together, and share the stories of faith together.
Scripture reminds us how important this shared memory is. In Deuteronomy 8, Moses tells God’s people, “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way.” This invitation is about more than remembering our individual experiences. It is a call to remember together how God has faithfully guided His people throughout their journey. As we remember where God has led us, we begin to recognize His grace in new and fresh ways.
Our church, too, carries a story that God has been faithfully writing over many years. The faithful witness of those who have worshiped here for decades, the footsteps of those who have recently joined our church family, the prayers we offer for one another, and the countless acts of love and service all become part of the beautiful story God continues to write among us.
Dear friends, God is still writing that story today. Each one of us is a treasured page in it. My prayer is that through our summer ministries, gatherings, worship, and fellowship, we will become a community that values one another’s stories and faithfully remembers God’s goodness together.
May God warm our hearts with cherished memories, lead us forward with fresh grace, and richly bless your homes and your lives as we continue this journey together in Him.
In the love of Christ,
Pastor Hyuntae Kim, Ph.D.
