Christ Memorial was a church plant of Salem Lutheran in Affton in 1948. Our history is God “sowing seeds” and “bearing fruit.” What will he grow in the next 75 years? Martin Luther once said, “Even if I knew the world would end tomorrow, I would still plant my apple tree today.” We continue to plant seeds for coming generations of gospel multiplication. More people loved in Christ, more people sent into the world.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” (Matt. 5:6) O Lord, you are my sole satisfaction. I am hungry and thirsty for righteousness. I long for you. Amen.
Word: Matthew 13:32b
“. . . so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches”
Meditation
Havens by Jo Saleska Lange
Our friendship started with a ten-minute walk. Bridget had just moved in next door, and I had just left private school, which made us both “new girls” in the eighth-grade class at the middle school down the street. So, we started walking to school together. Our first few walks were awkward, our conversations stilted and uncomfortable. But we grew to know each other, to seek refuge in one another as we navigated our new school. By the end of the year, we were inseparable. We did homework together, joined each other’s family dinners, shared books and clothes and inside jokes.
The following year, Bridget moved to a different state, but our friendship held strong. As adults, we’ve helped each other through cross-country moves and bad breakups, job changes and crises of faith. Now, twenty years after that (mostly silent) first walk, our friendship is a kind of haven. I am deeply known by her and yet still loved.
When I’ve read the parable of the mustard seed in the past, I’ve focused mainly on the growth aspect—a speck of a seed maturing into a towering tree. But this week, I’m noticing the last bit of verse 32: “ . . . so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” The parable ends with an emphasis on the Kingdom of God as a tangible place of refuge and community. Deep friendships—the kind that provide rest, safety, and spiritual growth—are gifts orchestrated and sustained by our heavenly father. They’re also one element of God’s Kingdom here on earth.
With all this in mind, I have been asking myself the question, “What small seeds can I plant now to help others find refuge, rest, and community?”
I think immediately of supporting organizations like Humanitri, which works to provide literal safe havens to families in crisis in the form of housing, counseling, skill development, and more. But I also think of small human gestures that don’t take any special skills at all: bringing a coworker coffee, inviting a family over for dinner, offering to babysit, inviting an acquaintance on a walk. These are the kinds of tiny seeds that can bloom into relationships that glorify God and bring His Kingdom closer.
What small seed is God calling you to plant today? Whatever it is, take comfort in the knowledge that sowing seeds is an act of trust. Results come not by our own efforts, intelligence, or skills, but by God alone, who “has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecc. 3:11).
Lord, thank you for havens here on earth, all of which grow from seeds that seem too tiny to amount to anything. Remind us to trust that none of our gifts or gestures are too small or insignificant for you to make into something beautiful. Amen.
Prayer for Daily Callings
· For my occupation, workplace, coworkers.
· For my work to be good for others, an extension of God’s love and care.
· For the unemployed.
· For growth in my career; not to work for a paycheck but for you and others.
· For discernment, if I should pursue another job or direction in life.
· For my callings at home as spouse, son/daughter, brother/sister.
· For schools, teachers, classmates.
· For eyes to see God’s work around me this day. For the courage to participate in it.
· Not to be comfortable in my callings, but to be useful.
Closing Prayer
O Lord, you are strength for the weak and riches for the poor. I come to you in humility, acknowledging my weakness. All I need is you. Fill my poverty with your power. Amen.