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Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Nature sometimes unleashes violent and devastating power that can wreak havoc on people. One such occurrence happened near where I live. On May 22, 2011, Joplin, Missouri was hit by a massive EF5 tornado, 200-plus mph winds pummeling brick and mortar, land and life. The tornado gouged a path through the center of Joplin, killing 161 people, injuring 1,000, and destroying 7,500 homes and business. The city has since rebuilt, but no one who was around then has forgotten that day.

Contents
“In Our Hearts” by Peter Andrew Smith
“Finding the Lost” by Keith Wagner
“The Challenge of Being Merciful” by Keith Wagner


In Our Hearts
by Peter Andrew Smith
Psalm 14

Patty threw back her head and laughed. “Yeah, that sounds like something Gran would say.”

“She certainly was a character.” Hazel smiled widely. “You remind me so much of her and you have that same joyful laugh. My but Stella could laugh.”

“Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (v. 10)

Good morning girls and boys,

I am so happy to see you this morning I could just about burst! Know why? You are here with your ears on, and I have some exciting stories to put into your ears and into your hearts!

First of all, how many of you have pets? What do you have? (children respond)

Are you aware that sometimes a pet, a puppy or a kitty gets lost?

At a very young age, Jamie discovered that he was excellent at Maths. While the other children were struggling through their multiplication tables to find the answer to a problem, Jamie knew immediately. The answer was in his head. He loved the patterns formed by numbers and he could discern beauty in Maths.

The first time I set eyes on that grand old church building was in the cool of a January evening. Since it was in a southern state, there was no chilling cold to make me hurry back into my host's car, so the two of us casually made our way around the empty building. He was a synod president, and I was a churchwide senior staff person on an official visit to his synod.