(Editor's note: This article profiles a ministry that not only is interesting and fun, it also builds a positive culture of serving by highlighting ministry opportunities, the people who serve and are being served, and the enjoyment and relationships that flow from them.)

Smile and say…"simple!" At least, that's what they are saying at Saint Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, Ill. They have reason to smile because they've come up with a simple, sustainable, project called Smiles of Saint Peter that showcases the warm, inviting atmosphere at Saint Peter, along with its many ministries and the individuals that make up the congregation.

Smiles combines modern technology with good old-fashioned fun. Smiles is an ever-changing slide show that features Saint Peter's people…you guessed it…smiling. These people are smiling in church, on mission trips, in Saint Peter's day school, in youth group, during Saint Peter's 150th Anniversary celebration, and in countless other places. Smiles is shown 15 minutes prior to each of Saint Peter's four weekly worship services.

Smiles' 2 Simple Steps…Create and Show

Smiles is truly a straightforward, yet beloved, project. Basically, they create a slide show and then show it in church.

The project debuted last December during Advent and is now running like clockwork. Saint Peter member Barb Vossel manages Smiles and couldn't be more pleased with how it's going. She got the ball rolling by asking a few people to go to different Saint Peter events and take pictures. Smiles was an instant hit. Now that Smiles is well-known, people approach her with photos, making her job much easier. Many people carry digital cameras anyway and they're happy to contribute photos. The result? A willing team of amateur photographers that send photos from different events and "non-events," like the time someone took a quick snapshot of the ushers, well, ushering. Continue

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