From the Pastor, May 27, 2021

Greetings, my friends

 

Some weeks–it’s an easy task writing 300 words to share with your Newsletter email. And some weeks, it’s simply overwhelming.

 

This week, I had jotted down about 6 things I could highlight for you. I can’t omit any of them, but I also can’t write too long—I know that’s a hard pass for many of you. So instead, I’ll fall back on my 10th grade HS teacher’s good advice. Bullet points.

• Expect a special email next week from the Church Office about the first in-person worship on June 6 at 9:30 a.m.  It will be a glorious day to worship God together in our sanctuary.
• This summer, we will have quite a few activities for all ages. We will have a monthly outside hymn sing, a church picnic on August 8, and more.
• Next week, we will share our new open hours for the Church Office, which will open on June 8.
• Kate invited our children to special Praise Plays beginning in June, and also encouraged them to invite “Flat Jesus” into their lives this summer. Parents and grandparents, take pictures of Flat Jesus and send them my way—what a fun way to splash our Facebook page. 
• Don’t forget we are collecting special offerings for the Hephatha Youth Scholarships. You can make a designated gift to the scholarships through the Church Office. 

And finally, this weekend is Memorial Day. Inside our Beacon is an invitation to pray for families mourning the loss of our servicemen and servicewomen who died in the line of duty, and to consider donating in honor of those who died. I lifted up two charities that I have personally donated to in the past, but I am sure there are many others.  

 

I’ll be honest, I miss my previous church on these civic holidays. The parsonage’s backyard was the church’s graveyard and in it were veterans from every war, every war, beginning with the American Revolutionary War. It was always humbling to walk the lines of graves from 1742 on—reading their names and giving thanks to those who died while serving. You may think this would be morbid, but it wasn’t and isn’t. We are a community of believers, both living and dead. It is good to give thanks and remember.

 

Blessings to you and your loved ones, 

I will see you on June 6.

Pastor Sarah