Welcome to ICC...

“For everything, there is a season”, is the wisdom of Solomon, as it is written in Ecclesiastes. Even as the sun shines and the summer continues to bloom, I have begun to notice the shortening of days, the darkening of the nights, our members and families returning from summer holidays, and the reality that several of our beloved are not returning after having moved on to the next chapter in their life’s journey. But, for ICC, this change in season means that we also look forward to this season when we will welcome many new members at ICC. Summertime is the season when we say goodbye and Godspeed to many of our members but it is also the blessed season when we at ICC get to say hello to our brothers and sisters in Christ who are arriving to call Copenhagen home.

This summer season has seen some wonderful worship and fellowship, and also the Senior Youth Missions Trip to Khayelitsha, South Africa. In that beautiful, struggling township, I, Rachel Bucnis and 8 of our Senior Youth we were met by our brothers and sisters at St. Michael’s and All Angels Parish, the staff of Sophumelela Preschool and St. Michael’s Primary School, members of the parish and the beautiful children of Sophumelela.

Though we had never met one another, the bond that we share in Christ laid the foundation for open arms, an open home, hospitality and an open Church to receive us - their family of faith from Copenhagen. While we were present to serve the children and staff of Sophumelela and St. Michael’s we were received into the warm embrace of Christian hospitality. We returned with the warm sun of South Africa on our faces, and the warmth of Christian love in our hearts. As our Youth return from their holidays, we will be gathering our stories, pictures and memories, in order to share them with you at a dinner in the month of September. Please watch the website, newsletters and bulletins for updates on the time and place. There, we will share with you the lessons learned from our family of faith’s living hope in the wake of poverty and AIDs. But we will also share with you this beautiful season of our life, where we were welcomed with the love of Christ.

For ICC, our whole life is a season of Christian hospitality, but the fall takes on a special hue, as it is tinted with the promise of new beginnings. There are so many opportunities for you to share and receive the gift of hospitality that will nurture your faith. I encourage you to find the place where your life will intersect the ministry at ICC. You are welcome to be a greeter, usher, Sunday School teacher, fellowship volunteer, Youth leader, 20-Somethings member, FISh assistant, member of the prayer chain or Sunshine Committee, PLAY Mentor, Assisting Minister, reader, and the list goes on. Many details about these opportunities are included in this newsletter.

Whether you are a seasoned member of ICC or brand new to Copenhagen, family or stranger, here in this place, you are seen through the welcoming eyes of Christ. We see one another as brothers and sisters whose life we share, whose gifts we embrace, whose faith we experience, whose stories we hear, and whose talents we employ.

As ICC turns towards this coming season, this, too, is our season to welcome you. Welcome back, welcome home, welcome friends, welcome strangers. Just as Abraham and Sarah welcomed the three men by the oaks of Mamre and received the blessing of the Lord, so, too, we receive one another in Christian love. In this place, we will see the blessing of God revealed as we gather in the tent of worship, fellowship, and service in the name of Christ. This coming season, we anticipate reuniting with old friends, and being united with members of our family of faith that we have yet to meet. Solomon goes on to say, there is a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. This, my brothers and sisters is a season to gather up into the family of God. It is a season to embrace.

Welcome to the love of God…welcome to ICC.

Peace to you all,
Pastor Chad