Dear Church Family,

June ’22 is almost in the history books and the summer of ’22 is on the horizon. At our staff meeting this week, Nathan, Justine, Trista, and I talked about what needs to be done in order to prepare for a number of things happening between now and the fall.

And as I’ve chewed on what’s ahead, I was reminded of something that was pointed out to me in a short book the elders and deacons read as a team earlier this year. In Rediscover Church, Colin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman take a run at demonstrating why now is the “time to recommit to gathering as brothers and sisters in Christ.” One thing that has particularly stuck with me since reading the book is this clarification on what it means to be the church:

Sometimes people like to say that “a church is a people, not a place.” It’s slightly more accurate to say that a church is a people assembled in a place. Regularly assembling or gathering makes a church a church. This doesn’t mean a church stops being a church when the people aren’t gathered, any more than a soccer “team” stops being a team when the members are not playing. The point is, regularly gathering together is necessary for a church to be church, just like a team has to gather to play in order to be a team. (Hansen / Leeman, Rediscover Church, 2021, p.48)

While talking specifically about the corporate worship gathering, anytime we get together Christ can work in us and among as His church. That’s why we plan for connecting outside of Sunday mornings.

This Saturday a number of us will be gathering with other believers in service to the community through the Compassion Connect Clinic in Sumner. On Monday night there’s an opportunity for our young adults to be together for some fun and food. The Friday after that, about 50 of us will be coming together to watch a baseball game as family. A few weeks after that, more of us will pitch our tents (or park our trailers and RVs) at a campground at Mayfield Lake for a few days of planned “close proximity fellowship.” In addition, there are special gatherings planned for both our ladies and our men this summer.

These aren’t just extra-curricular activities for the church, they are spaces intentionally created for people to be together.

In the fall, there will be learning spaces available for people to come together and be the church as they study the word in a group setting. Weekly potluck spaces for our seniors will resume, Lord willing, and others will find ways to connect as a "small group" outside of Sunday morning to nurture friendships they’ve formed as part of our gospel community at LTCC.

These different spaces are in addition to the privilege we have to gather as the body of Christ on Sunday mornings to lift up Jesus and be built up in our faith. Starting July 3rd, we’ll do that as a single service at 10 a.m. for the summer. On the 10th, after service, we’ll eat lunch together, conduct some family business, and then honor the Heaths for their faithful service to LTCC. And, on July 17th, we’ll dedicate our Sunday morning gathering to formally commission the Burtons to mission in the Seattle area.

All of this, whenever and wherever “two or three are gathered”, allowing us to be a people assembled in a place. The church of Christ, the family of God.

As we head into the summer, if you’re able to, take advantage of the many chances to connect with others in our congregation – they’re all listed under the Calendar tab on our web page or under “. . . More” in the Church Center app. If your schedule permits over the summer, perhaps try also to connect with a brother of sister for coffee, or with another couple for dinner, or perhaps invite a small group over for some burgers one night. Look for ways to be a people assembled in a place.

To quote Billy G. (Bill Gaither), “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God.” So glad to be part of this family of God.

See you Sunday, Lord willing.

On behalf of the elders,


Pete