Tonight I am sitting here thinking about how good it was to be back with you all this Sunday. Imago really has become our spiritual home these last six years. The kids were so stoked to be back. It is great to hear your kids share how much they love church.

It is always a humbling experience to sit and talk with Celestin, our brother from Africa. His insights and perspectives are so incredibly refreshing. He is really a gift to our community. I hope some of you can take time to hear him speak this week at Multnomah Bible College. The schedule should be posted on our site soon. Take advantage of his story.

As we enter this next season at Imago I can't stress how much God has loved you in Christ. I know we all have certain road blocks to receiving that love. Sometimes we run away to sin and other times we run away to religious duty. God patiently waits for us to be still and receive his love. Going through the story of the Prodigal son over the next four weeks, we will have the chance to discover ourselves in the story and beyond that to discover Gods love in a transformative way. I get excited when I think about how many of us will come home to that love during the next few weeks, some of us for the first time and some after a long season away from home. Either way God calls us to celebrate with him when people come home to his love.

We also enter the Lenton season this week. Lent is a time to give up something so we can anticipate something greater, namely the love of Christ displayed in the story of his death and resurrection. We sacrifice certain things that we find comforting to our flesh. We fast from what is the norm so we can pay attention and listen in a way that is not drowned out by our desires. I hope you will think about what you might give up for forty days so you can experience His story in a deeper way.

Lastly, I wanted to share a need with you. Though we finished the year strong in giving, as we entered the New Year giving has dropped off. Right now we are about fifty thousand dollars behind budget. God has been so faithful to us over the years it is pretty mind blowing. He has met our needs as a church family through the generosity of his followers in our Imago family. When you give your money to Imago it goes to serve the needs of the community within the church as well as taking the love of Christ to the least of these in Portland and around the world. I am simply letting you know that we have a need at this time. I ask that you would consider giving faithfully, consistently and generously to Imago. I hate asking for money, but I believe so much in what we are about as a church family that I don't mind giving you this invitation. I know that when you honor God with your money and partner with him with your cash, you get blessed in your own life, spirit and faith. So I invite you to give and help us meet the needs of so many people in our church family, our city and our world.

Thanks again for the welcome back today!

R