Dear Centenarians,
I have just finished teaching a four-week session for our Los Angeles District Lay Speakers' School. This was my third time teaching in this annual series, and an exciting part of this session was having three high-school youths from the same church as students.
The class which I taught was on Christian Stewardship. I have to say that I was a bit surprised that three youths would spend a Monday night taking a course with this title, since a course on "Youth Ministry" was also offered on the same night, the NBA playoffs were also in full swing! Yet, I was also enthused that they, as young people, would in fact take such a course as this one!
I hope that they learned something vital and useful in the course, along with the adults who were also students in the class. I certainly learned from all of them, and I gained new insights on stewardship which I plan on using in ministry.
June is the month when students of graduate from school and move on in their lives, but that doesn't mean they stop learning. A wise student knows that one never stops learning; learning is a lifelong process that enables one to continue to grow and appreciate all that life has to offer. That principle is also true of Christian faith, and I have experienced growth in my own faith, throughout my vocation as a pastor, from church members of all ages and life stages.
During the summer months, take some time to deepen your learning experiences. Open the book that has been sitting on the shelf, which you've been yearning to begin reading for awhile. Explore a new topic or interest that you've always thought about but have just never gotten around to beginning. Come to church on one of our "Breakfast @ Centenary" Sundays to learn about a specific topic you may not have known beforehand, and enjoy a delicious meal at the same time!
The summer months are usually seen as a time to relax and recharge. I encourage you to use them also as a time to grow and experience something new in your life and faith!
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Mark M. Nakagawa
