8/8/18
Last Sunday evening at the Sellwood Faith Community our table included two huge, half-eaten cartons of potato salad and macaroni salad. They were leftovers from the group of 50 youth Jeff Lowery was working with last week in his role as director of L.A.S.T. (Learning And Serving Together, an organization that coordinates and leads mission trips in the Northwest for youth groups). It’s actually not too unusual for random leftovers to find their way onto the SFC shared table.
There are folks who might be somewhat insulted at receiving “hand-me-down” food, but I find it quite nice, on a 
variety of levels. First of all, it’s fun to get more food options beyond what our own community provides! And I always like thinking about the source of the unexpected culinary treat. Sometimes it’s leftover from a Trinity event, a good reminder of the partnership between Trinity and Sellwood Faith Community. Other times SFC members bring extra food from a party or other gathering they’ve hosted recently. And when it comes from L.A.S.T., it feels to me like a tangible connection with the incredibly important mission work being accomplished through the youth with whom Jeff is working. I imagine the kids sitting down together at the end of a long day, chowing down on potato salad while Jeff guides the discussion to help them articulate how they experienced God in the work they did that day. It’s a bit of a stretch, I know, but somehow that potato salad becomes a bridge between the gathering on Tacoma Street on Sunday evening and the hands-on mission work fueled by prayers and food in another part of the city.
I know that Jeff will be glad when the intensity of the summer mission work season is over. And I’ll be glad when the fall signals a return to a more typical schedule for the Southeast Portland Parish, with more hands-on mission
Rev. Jeff Lowery, director of L.A.S.T
opportunities for all of us. But in the meantime, as long as we’re studying scripture together, praying together, and eating potato salad together, we will continue to be both nurtured and challenged to live out our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Laura
PS I’m happy to report that this is the last blog from me! Pastor Eilidh will be back next week, and I suspect we’ll get to hear about some of her adventures and learnings from her renewal leave. I’ve had fun reflecting with you over the last several weeks! It’s an amazing privilege to be part of this ministry.
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