An Introduction to our Summer 2019 Sermon Series
Throughout this past summer, campers, guests, and staff associated with Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp, Inc. had opportunities to talk and learn about their faith through an overarching theme of, ‘Claimed, Wildly Loved By God.’ At its essence, this theme tells us that God loves us wildly and unconditionally. In a world that often makes us feel like we are ‘not enough,’ the message of God’s abounding love for us is a message of hope and assurance, and a message that we are created in God’s image and are in fact more than enough.
With this ‘Claimed’ message at the root of discussion across all three camps of LWLBC, campers, guests, and staff at Wilderness Canoe Base took an additional step and wondered together what this means for our lives. If we have been saved by grace and if nothing we do can separate us from God’s love (or give us a higher standing in God’s eyes), then what are we called to do with our lives? Theologians like Martin Luther, Gerhard Forde, Desmond Tutu and countless others have asked questions throughout the centuries about what our call in this world is if there is nothing that we must do in order to receive God’s love. Essentially, the heart of the question is, ‘what will you do with your life since you don’t have to do anything to receive God’s love?’ In many ways, this question is a call to our vocation. Because we know that God’s love is given to us unconditionally and without having to do anything at all, we are given the freedom to consider what it is that we can do with our lives.
With an eye on vocation, our bible study theme at Wilderness Canoe Base throughout the summer invited us to consider the ways that God is actively engaging with us. Our summer theme focused on ways that God Creates, God Rests, God Organizes, God Uproots, God Liberates, and God Calls, and throughout these conversations we were given opportunities to consider the ways that we too are called to participate in God’s kingdom.
Each Sunday of the summer at Wilderness Canoe Base, we gather together for Worship as a community. The congregation is made up of summer staff, guests from around the lake and along the Gunflint Trail, alumni, and other visitors. We decided to focus our Sunday sermons on this question of our vocation, and this call to participate in God’s kingdom. Each of these sermons were given by Wilderness Canoe Base Staff, summer staff, and/or alumni. In the coming weeks ahead, we will be posting the sermons that were given, and we invite you to join us in these conversations. And as you consider what Kristin, Ty, (Ty again), Katelyn, Beatrice, Dan, Elizabeth and Sarah preached about, we also invite you to consider the ways that you too will participate in God’s kingdom.
-Nathan Berkas, Wilderness Canoe Base Director