“Then the Israelites came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they camped there by the water.”                                     Exodus 15:27       Welcome to Elim Lutheran Church’s website!  We’re glad you found your way here and pray that you are experiencing God’s presence in your life this day.       As I’ve talked to friends and family about Elim Lutheran in Ogden, many people ask about the name.  I remember having the same question myself when I first heard of this congregation.  What is Elim?  Simply put, it is a place in the Bible.  It’s a bit of an obscure place, mentioned only three times in Exodus and Numbers.  Yet, it’s also a powerful place.       The Israelites came to the place called Elim almost immediately after God’s rescue of them from the Egyptians at the Red Sea.  It must have been quite the ordeal, so we know Elim was a place of recovery and rest.  We know that it was a place of nourishment with spring water and palm trees.  We know it was a place of community as they all camped together.  We know it was a place of preparation and strengthening as the Israelites returned to the wilderness upon leaving Elim.       Biblical Elim was ultimately a place of healing, a place where God’s promises of nourishment were recognized and enjoyed, and a place of community.        In many ways, Elim Lutheran mirrors its Biblical namesake.  We are a smaller congregation, sitting on the obscure corner of 23rd and Jefferson in Ogden.  Yet, we are a powerful place, not necessarily because of what we do, but because of what God is doing in this place and through us.  Just like Biblical Elim was a place of healing for the Israelites, Elim Lutheran seeks to be that place in our world today.       On Sunday mornings, we offer a time of worship and education – a time to come and be with God – a time to set aside the busy-ness of our daily lives which often end up exhausting us.  Our vital prayer ministry is also a way that we seek to be a healing place for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs that we all have.  As we experience the healing of worship, education and prayer, we are strengthened for the moments and days ahead which are often full of unknowns and wilderness moments.        God’s promises of nourishment were kept at Biblical Elim, and we seek to be a place of nourishment as well.  We are a church where Word and Sacrament are the center of everything we do.  Every Sunday, you will hear God’s Word proclaimed from the Bible and a sermon that ties that Word in to your daily life.  Every Sunday, you will have the opportunity to receive the bread and wine of Holy Communion – God’s gift to all of God’s people.  We strive to be a place of spiritual nourishment with a potluck thrown in every once in a while to help in our physical nourishment as well!  As we are nourished, we are strengthened to love and serve God and our neighbor.      Finally, like Biblical Elim, we strive to be a community that camps by the water together.  We don’t agree on every issue.  We come from different backgrounds and traditions.  But, we camp together, held in one community by the waters of our baptisms and our shared faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.        Are you searching for some kind of healing, spiritual nourishment or community?  If so, we would love to have you visit us during Sunday morning worship at 10:00 or education at 9:30 or any other event on our calendar.  You are welcome at Elim Lutheran! Peace, Pastor DanaLee Simon