Warm Greetings in Christ!

Welcome to graduate season! 

Yes, it really is a “season.” You plant your son, daughter, spouse or friend in some high school or university, water the place liberally with tens of thousands of dollars (public or private money), wait four or more years and, presto, you have a “graduate.”  (Well, it may be a little more complicated than that, but for today’s email, that will have to do.)

Some of our area “institutions of learning” (WSU & Gonzaga) have already donned caps and gowns, sat through one more scintillating commencement speaker and tested themselves one last time by seeing how long they can stare cross-eyed at their swinging tassel 2 inches from their nose while walking in a straight line across the stage.   Others are yet to graduate (Whitworth, EWU, Moody Northwest, Community Colleges & area high schools).

So to our many graduates we want to say, “Job well done!”  Whatever the chapter of learning you have just completed, may learning be a life-long ambition and joy for you.  And may God himself always be the beginning, the middle and the end of your education and wisdom.  As Psalm 119:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.”   

But to really say “well done” correctly, we need YOUR HELP.  Would you assist us in IDENTIFYING our GRADUATES by letting us know of anyone in your family, close at hand or far away, who is or has graduated this year?  Please email me or let us know on the Communication Card on Sundays WHO your graduate is, WHERE they will be graduating from and WHAT DEGREE they will be awarded. And feel free to brag a little about something you admire about them and want to honor them for.  We, along with you, would like to honor them as they launch into what God has next for them.

Speaking of “what’s next,” one of our graduates has already flown the coop.  Ethan Smith finished Whitworth early so he could head to Southern California to begin a 4-month hike from Mexico to Canada along the Pacific Crest trail.  He’s hiked about 200 miles as of Wednesday this week.  Only 2,450 miles left, Ethan!  We’ll meet where the trail crosses I-90 at Snoqualmie Pass in September!  (If you’d like to follow Ethan’s blog along the way, go to www.trailjournals.com/ethansmith.) We truly have some amazing graduates at Mosaic!

Regardless of what your last grade completed in school was, we’re all still in The School of Life when it comes to the spiritual battle.  This weekend we’ll begin our FINAL SERIES in the book of EPHESIANS looking at the SPIRITUAL WAR God has commissioned us to and the equipment he has issued for the fight of our life (Ephesians 6:10-20).  As any great general knows, you must UNDERSTAND YOUR ENEMY if you are to WIN THE BATTLE.  Don’t let yourself be outsmarted by spiritual forces that have a lot more experience in the fight than we do but a lot less wisdom, fire-power and armor.  See you Sunday at 9 or 11. 

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY NEED:  If you don’t mind hanging out with 4 Repsolds at one time, then you’re a candidate for assisting this Children’s Ministry Team for the next 6 weeks as they teach and mentor our most gifted, young, bright, enthusiastic, next generation of disciples of Jesus—our children.  The Repsold-Four are short about 2 people for the Sundays from May 22^nd to July 3^rd.  So, if you’d like to have fun while loving on kids for the next 6 weeks, contact Michelle at or 944-5262.  You’ll be glad you did. 

BAPTISM:  The date for the upcoming baptism has been switched to Sunday, June 5^th at 4:00pm.  If you would like to be baptized, please contact Pastor John at 710-8026. 

SUMMER “GARDENS of GOD” BIBLE STUDY:  It looks like we’ll be enjoying God’s gardens (in a number ways) starting the 2^nd week of June through August.  Our brother, author and Bible study leader par excellence,Mike Mann, will be guiding this study group. Gardens in the Bible are often a metaphor for the work He is doing in our own hearts. Come and experience how God uses gardens in His Word to show us the depth, breadth, and intimacy of his love in ways that words alone can't express.  So plan to enjoy summer’s Friday evenings smelling the flowers!  Contact Mike at or 924-3415.

OTHER SUMMER PLANS:  We’ve got a handful of special events on the horizon for this summer.  So grab your calendars, lawn chairs, tents and barbeques.  Here are the ones we know about presently with dates.

• BLUEGRASS NIGHT @ the Chipley’s (30^th & Lincoln). Plan to enjoy some California State pick’en and play’en champs on the evening of Thursday, July 28^th.
• PICNIC IN THE PARK on Sunday evening, July 31^st for the Royal Fireworks Concert and…fireworks!
• MOSAIC CAMP-IN at Riverside State Park, Thursday, August 18^th to Sunday, August 21^st.  We’ve reserved a group area to have some fun in the sun in August.  Campsite cost will be about $12/person for all 3days (You bring your own food, tent, RV, etc.). EVERYONE is welcome to come and enjoy the evening campfires, singing and fun whether you campout or not.
• WILLOW CREEK LEADERSHIP SUMMIT:  August 11-12 at Life Center here in Spokane.  Go to http://www.willowcreek.com/events/leadership/2010/locations.asp for more info and registration.

That’s it for today.  May you have a blessed weekend full of friendship with family, friends, people and God’s great (warming…finally) creation.

John