The Reverend Randy Thompson, Pastor of Cross and Crown Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights for 16 years, will provide the music at the 30th annual Arlington Heights Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, February 2, 2017, from 7:00-9:00 AM at the Doubletree Hotel, 75 Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights (just west of Arlington Heights Road). Selections will include My Story, Worn, and Keep the Son in Your Eyes. He will be accompanied by John Masciale on the keyboard. The event also features a breakfast buffet, scripture readings, music, and a keynote address by James H. Mukoyama, Jr., Major General, United States Army Retired, President and Chief Executive Officer, Military Outreach USA.
Pastor Randy, a resident of Lake Zurich, is also the Spiritual Director for the Ministry of Hope, Cross and Crown’s outreach to the homeless and jobless in this area where for 12 years the church has served 50-70 guests a hot breakfast, a hot lunch, held a Bible study for encouragement, provided spiritual counsel, and helped people connect to area resources.
A native of Bode, Iowa, Pastor Randy graduated from Iowa State University and from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. He and his wife Carol have been married over 36 years and have a daughter named Kira.
In addition to his Pastoral duties, Pastor volunteers in the community serving on the Board of Arlington Cares (secretary and chaplain), on the Advisory Board for the Salvation Army – Des Plaines Corps, and on the Board of Directors of the Schaumburg Jets, the new minor league baseball team at the Schaumburg Stadium (chaplain).
Pastor Randy describes himself as “a Lutheran with a strong emphasis on the authority of the Bible for all of life.” He believes the salvation story is all about relationship – that God created us for a relationship to enjoy, but sin spoiled it. God, however, did not give up, but had a plan to bring people back into this relationship, a plan that culminated in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Jesus exchanged His sinless life for humans’ sinful life so that people would be holy once again. Pastor Randy believes that in this way God created a family that will enjoy relationships with each other and our Lord forever. Lately Pastor Randy has been fascinated with the miracles God performs – those incidents that could only have happened because God engineered the whole experience for everyone involved. Pastor Randy uses friendships as an example and says they are a miracle that happens in the hearts of both people to create a new relationship. According to Pastor Randy, “God does that, and I want to give credit where it belongs!”
In the year ahead, Pastor Randy is concerned about reconciliation in interpersonal relationships, in our society, and in the world. He states that “fallen human nature will constantly pull us apart,” but that “God’s people are in the world to bring healing and restoration.”
One of Pastor Randy’s favorite avocations is to sing, and singing at the Prayer Breakfast has been on his “bucket list.”
Lutheran Life Communities is the sponsoring organization for the Prayer Breakfast. . Tickets are $20 per person and may be ordered and paid for on line at http://arlingtonheightschamber.com . Click on events for February and then click on the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. For more information contact Chamber Staff at the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce at 847-253-1703 or by e-mail at info@arlingtonhcc.com.
Lutheran Life Communities is the sponsoring organization for the Prayer Breakfast. . Tickets are $20 per person and may be ordered and paid for on line at http://arlingtonheightschamber.com . Click on events for February and then click on the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. For more information contact Chamber Staff at the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce at 847-253-1703 or by e-mail at info@arlingtonhcc.com.
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