Celebrations, July 2

This is the weekend for celebrations. We are celebrating the brave men who signed the Declaration of Independence - and those who subsequently fought to preserve our independence. We are celebrating the freedom promised to us by God’s grace at the banquet table of Communion. We are celebrating a drier weekend with cooler temps than typical for the 4th of July.

We are celebrating a special service of worship on a special day as we head out to Turkey Mountain on Sunday, July 4th. Worship begins at 10:00 am. We will gather at the pavilion in the main parking lot. If you are able, we ask that you park in the upper/overflow lot and allow us to shuttle you to the pavilion space. We will be joined by Living Water UMC. Pastor Heather will be bringing the message and we’ll have a sacred time of receiving Communion together in this beautiful outdoor space.

Please bring a chair or blanket so you can be comfortable for worship. A water bottle will bring welcome refreshment. Don’t forget to bring one with you! Hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen are a good idea too. There are accessible restrooms next to the pavilion. If you feel like it, the hiking trails around the mountain would be a lovely gift either before or after worship. It is likely we’ll have some hikers from the mountain join us for worship. Let’s offer them our best Faith welcome.

Remember, the building is closed on Sunday. We hope you’ll join us at Turkey Mountain!

We’ve also had some celebrations around the building too. Last Sunday, we hosted 23 folks for Faith Welcome. McAlister’s Deli box lunches filled our tummies and the fellowship of new friends filled our souls. Here are a few pics of the event.

For three Tuesdays in June, United by Christ hosted an event called, Listen to Learn. In week 1, three folks from different areas of experience and expertise offered observations about cultures and systems of racism. In week 2, participants sat in table groups to process what they learned, encouraging one another toward action that is transforming. In week 3, the panelists returned to answer questions about how we change and how we help others change.

As a participant, I was encouraged by our congregation’s commitment to these conversations. I was also encouraged by Tricia Jenkins’ leadership, helping our panelists share a wealth of experiences with us. Here are a few pictures of that event. I hope you will celebrate the wonderful gifts we’ve been given in these early phases of return back to our building and the relationships that are forming for our future.

See you on the mountain Sunday,