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Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit. For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1: 1-14) Reflection Every summer, churches and friends of Camp Mount Luther are asked to "Adopt-A-Staff Person" from that summer's Staff. It is a great way for congregations and members to support those who work there. The goal of the program is to make the staff feel loved and appreciated for the work they do and to show them the same love and care they show their campers. Those who Adopt-A-Staff are asked to:
It's much like being apostle Paul to the Christians living in the town of Colossea. Paul writes to them beginning with how he prays for them always. His prayer names them and his letter is one of encouragement. Unfortunately, Paul was in prison at the time so he most likely was not able to send care packages. And while he would not have invited them to worship with him (in prison), his invitation was for them to grow in the knowledge of God. Oh, Paul would have "Adopted-A-Staff Person" in a heartbeat. In that spirit, let's all pray the prayer below (adapted from the Prayer for Staff Training which is over now and the summer camping season has begun!) --Ruth Gates Prayer We pray for the staff at Camp Mount Luther this summer camping season. Grant each staff member your Holy Spirit that the mission of your church may be edified in the work of the summer. Give them wisdom that your grace blossoms among the staff and their campers. Strengthen them in their faith practices. Amen
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