Shepherd's Heart 7/25/25
Dear ones,
Something beautiful is stirring in our community this Labor Day Weekend, and I want you to feel the weight and wonder of what we're stepping into together.
The Last Fling isn't just another community event on our calendar; it's a sacred invitation to live out our calling as the people of God in the heart of Naperville. This is our chance to be radiant witnesses right where our neighbors gather, celebrate, and simply exist in their everyday lives.
I keep thinking about Jesus's words: "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." This upcoming Labor Day weekend, we get to be that city on a hill, not from the safety of our sanctuary, but woven into the very fabric of our community's celebration.
Here's what makes my heart race with anticipation: This isn't about getting people to come to us at 1310. This is about us going to them. This is about showing up with joy, generosity, and authentic love in spaces where faith conversations happen naturally, where community forms organically, where the kingdom of God becomes visible through our presence.
When we worship on that main stage Sunday morning, we're not performing for our neighbors; we're inviting them into something beautiful that's already happening. When we volunteer throughout the weekend, we're not checking a service box; we're embodying the truth that followers of Jesus show up for their communities with sleeves rolled up and hearts wide open. When we walk in that parade, we're not advertising our church; we're celebrating the good news that transforms ordinary moments into holy ground.
The threads of God's story are being woven through every corner of Naperville’s Labor Day weekend, and we get to be part of that sacred threading. We get to be the church that doesn't wait for people to come to us, but that shows up where people already are, with authenticity, with joy, with the kind of hope that's contagious because it's real.
I'm not suggesting this will revolutionize our attendance or transform our community overnight. What I am saying is this: Every time we choose to be present, generous, and genuinely loving in public spaces, we're participating in God's larger story of renewal and redemption. We're proving that the church is not a building or a program, but a people who carry the presence of Christ wherever we go.
This Labor Day weekend, let's be prisoners of hope together, people who refuse to retreat into the safety of our own circles when we could be threading light and love through our community's celebration. Let's show up not because we have all the answers, but because we know the One who does, and He's invited us to be His hands and feet in Naperville.
Whether you're worshipping with us on that main stage, volunteering behind the scenes, walking in the parade, or supporting from home with your prayers, you're part of something bigger than any single moment. You're part of a community that believes our faith is meant to be lived out loud, shared generously, and embodied authentically wherever our feet touch the ground.
The details are important. Sign up for the times that work for you, wear your Good Shepherd shirt, bring your folding chair, show up ready to serve. But more than the logistics, I want you to feel the invitation to step into the weekend with expectation that God is already at work in our community, and we get to join Him there.
Let's be the church that our neighbors need us to be, not perfect, not pretentious, but present. Let's be the light that doesn't hide under a bushel but shines brightly in downtown Naperville, reflecting the love of Jesus through every conversation, every act of service, every moment of genuine connection.
Something is stirring, friends. I can feel it. And I believe our best witness that weekend won't be our words about faith, but our embodiment of it, showing up with joy, serving with love, and living as people who truly believe that God's kingdom is breaking into our world through ordinary moments made sacred by our presence.
From my heart,
Pastor Tara Beth
Ready to step into this vision? Sign up for worship, volunteering, or the parade HERE. Let's be the church beyond our walls together.
Something beautiful is stirring in our community this Labor Day Weekend, and I want you to feel the weight and wonder of what we're stepping into together.
The Last Fling isn't just another community event on our calendar; it's a sacred invitation to live out our calling as the people of God in the heart of Naperville. This is our chance to be radiant witnesses right where our neighbors gather, celebrate, and simply exist in their everyday lives.
I keep thinking about Jesus's words: "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." This upcoming Labor Day weekend, we get to be that city on a hill, not from the safety of our sanctuary, but woven into the very fabric of our community's celebration.
Here's what makes my heart race with anticipation: This isn't about getting people to come to us at 1310. This is about us going to them. This is about showing up with joy, generosity, and authentic love in spaces where faith conversations happen naturally, where community forms organically, where the kingdom of God becomes visible through our presence.
When we worship on that main stage Sunday morning, we're not performing for our neighbors; we're inviting them into something beautiful that's already happening. When we volunteer throughout the weekend, we're not checking a service box; we're embodying the truth that followers of Jesus show up for their communities with sleeves rolled up and hearts wide open. When we walk in that parade, we're not advertising our church; we're celebrating the good news that transforms ordinary moments into holy ground.
The threads of God's story are being woven through every corner of Naperville’s Labor Day weekend, and we get to be part of that sacred threading. We get to be the church that doesn't wait for people to come to us, but that shows up where people already are, with authenticity, with joy, with the kind of hope that's contagious because it's real.
I'm not suggesting this will revolutionize our attendance or transform our community overnight. What I am saying is this: Every time we choose to be present, generous, and genuinely loving in public spaces, we're participating in God's larger story of renewal and redemption. We're proving that the church is not a building or a program, but a people who carry the presence of Christ wherever we go.
This Labor Day weekend, let's be prisoners of hope together, people who refuse to retreat into the safety of our own circles when we could be threading light and love through our community's celebration. Let's show up not because we have all the answers, but because we know the One who does, and He's invited us to be His hands and feet in Naperville.
Whether you're worshipping with us on that main stage, volunteering behind the scenes, walking in the parade, or supporting from home with your prayers, you're part of something bigger than any single moment. You're part of a community that believes our faith is meant to be lived out loud, shared generously, and embodied authentically wherever our feet touch the ground.
The details are important. Sign up for the times that work for you, wear your Good Shepherd shirt, bring your folding chair, show up ready to serve. But more than the logistics, I want you to feel the invitation to step into the weekend with expectation that God is already at work in our community, and we get to join Him there.
Let's be the church that our neighbors need us to be, not perfect, not pretentious, but present. Let's be the light that doesn't hide under a bushel but shines brightly in downtown Naperville, reflecting the love of Jesus through every conversation, every act of service, every moment of genuine connection.
Something is stirring, friends. I can feel it. And I believe our best witness that weekend won't be our words about faith, but our embodiment of it, showing up with joy, serving with love, and living as people who truly believe that God's kingdom is breaking into our world through ordinary moments made sacred by our presence.
From my heart,
Pastor Tara Beth
Ready to step into this vision? Sign up for worship, volunteering, or the parade HERE. Let's be the church beyond our walls together.
Posted in Shepherds Heart