For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8–9

There’s an old video going around on the internet that I just came across; an experiment on seeing. Maybe some of you saw it. If you didn’t you can Google it and find it. It was a rather simple test. On the video there were two teams, one dressed in black and one dressed in white. They were throwing a ball around. And the challenge was this: just count how many times the ball was passed by the team in white. Simple.

So this group of people did. They watched the video and counted. At the end, most of the people had counted fifteen, and they were right. They patted themselves on the back. This was way too easy. But then the researcher asked them: Did you see the gorilla? And many of them said: What gorilla? So they watched the video again and about a minute into the game, a man dressed in a gorilla suit walks right into the middle of the game, stands there for a few seconds, beats his chest, and then walks out. Something like half of all people who watch that video, focusing on the ball being passed by the white team, miss the gorilla. They’re blind to it, focusing too much on the ball being passed around. Scientists call it selective vision. Something, it turns out, we do all the time.

Selective vision caused the people in the video to fail, but maybe this is a gift that we need in this life. Maybe if we saw and noticed everything, our minds couldn’t handle it. I’m certainly no expert at that so I don’t know. But here’s the thing for us to consider today: If this is something we do, selective vision, what are we selecting to look at? What are we focusing on? And is it the right thing, or the wrong thing? And what are we missing?

The world is filled with distractions. We often focus on what we want or need to do. This causes us to be blind to our surroundings. When it comes to our salvation we often have an inclination to fix all of our own problems. We want to be better, do better, and feel progress in the right direction. Don’t get me wrong, God want’s us to walk in His goodness! But don’t miss the gorilla in the room. Jesus Christ is our salvation! He has won the victory over sin, death, and the devil. You cannot achieve this. This victory has been given to you through His Word and Sacraments. It is a GIFT! Don’t lose sight of this GIFT.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, You promised salvation through a Savior. You then sent Your Son, Jesus Christ to be our Savior. Help us never to lose sight of Him, nor be distracted by the world. Amen

Pastor Schneider

Today marks the first grade review of Trimester 3. Grade reviews for students in grades 1-8 have been posted in Sycamore. Please go to the "Document" tab for your child where you will find the grade review. The grade review is titled "T3_GR1_23" Please review your child's progress and sign in the signature box indicating that you have viewed the grade report.

Kids Only Book Club

3rd, 4th, & 5th Graders

March 28th and April 25th

3:30-4:15 p.m.

Participants must have read one book before each meeting. During the meeting each participant will give a brief book talk about their selection. Keep in mind that the goal of a book talk is to tell enough about the title to encourage fellow participants to read the title, without giving away the ending.

Following the book talks, participants will have time to socialize, make recommendations for future programs, and participate in various group activities.

Snacks will be provided during all meetings. If your child has any food allergies or food related medical conditions, please send a snack with your child.

Great Beginnings Book Club

K-2nd Grade

March 27 and April 24

3:30 to 4:15 p.m.

Children in kindergarten through second grade are invited to participate in this after-school book club that will meet once a month in the library conference room. Participants will read and discuss a book selected by the staff.

Upon completion of the book discussion, participants will engage in different book-related activities. The overall goal of the club is to encourage the participants to discuss and enjoy different kinds of literature. Snacks will be provided during all meetings. If your child has any food allergies or food-related medical conditions, send a snack with your child. Some activities may occur outdoors, weather permitting.

All Parents: Should make arrangements to pick up their children promptly at 4:15 p.m.

If school is canceled due to weather the book club will also be canceled and that meeting will not be rescheduled.