Friday from First!
April 24, 2020
See Jesus. Show Jesus. Share Jesus.
Third Sunday of Easter
"Straight from the Heart"
Cleopas and another disciple walk home to Emmaus on Easter afternoon. They are confused and disheartened. They'd pinned all their hopes on Jesus, and those hopes have been dashed. Suddenly, a stranger falls in step with them and joins their conversation. Their hearts warm to this stranger's words. Something about this stranger makes them want to know him better, so they invite him into their home. But they do not recognize him. Do we? Join us on Facebook or YouTube Sunday at 9:30 AM, as we get to "the heart of the matter."
Celebration of High School Graduates
Since schools will not reopen this year, there won’t be any graduation ceremonies to attend. But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the students who will have completed their high school education this year. Let’s have a parade to honor our graduates! Details are still in the planning stage, but plan now to join us in a drive-by parade on Sunday, May 17th. We will drive past each graduating senior’s house, where they can wave at us from the curb as we drop cards into a receptacle of the graduate’s own choosing or design. We will honor four high school seniors who have been part of our congregation's youth group:
Maggie Bourn
Jessica Jeske
Kaye Rysdahl
Paige Sowers
I’ll have more details next week, but for now, save the date, make sure you have gas in your car, and get ready to roll on May 17th!
Wednesday Zoom with the Pastor
Kids through third grade at 5
Kids in grades 5-6 at 5:30
Adults at 6:15
Kids sessions will be posted in the private members group on Facebook (feel free to join the group! - it's also where we share confidential prayer requests). Adult sessions will try to stream through from Zoom to Facebook, but it didn’t work last week. so I make no promises. The best way to engage is to join the Zoom discussion. It’s the same log in information every week, since it is set up as a recurring meeting. You've probably received an invitation by e-mail, since you're on the list to receive this message, but I will send a reminder out on Wednesday afternoon so you'll have the fresh link. The format for all three sessions is about the same: we read a Bible story (usually the gospel reading for the following Sunday), we talk about it, and we pray together. It's a great way to stay connected while we cannot meet in person. Join us!
Blessed Bottoms
This week the Blessed Bottoms team will provide diapers by appointment only, as we practice social distancing to protect the families who need diapers. We're doubling up the number of diapers we distribute to each family, and we added a grocery gift card to the bag as well, because we know that diapers aren't the only expense families have right now. We asked parents to let us know how we could pray for them, and several mentioned the financial strain they are experiencing because of the pandemic. Jobs have vaporized, but the bills keep piling up. Tension is rising in these homes, and what may seem to us like a small ministry makes a huge difference to these families. Thank you for continuing to support the Blessed Bottoms effort. It's another way we can help people see Jesus and experience Christ's love.
Did you know The Circuit Rider is available online? You don't have to wait for the paper copy to arrive in your mailbox! You'll certainly want to read my essay on what Noah can teach us about living through a pandemic, but here are a couple of other items that will interest you:
The May/June issue of The Upper Room is now available. Please take advantage of this wonderful devotional tool that the church provides at no cost to you. Copies are in the entrance area; just knock on the door or call during regular church office hours and Lorna will come running to let you in. [Editor's note: you can also pick up the weekly worship folder to follow our "Heart of the Matter" series!]
Landscapers, we need you! We are looking for a group of people willing to clear the decorative rocks and the small bush from around the tree by the Little Library. We also need to level an area and pour a small concrete pad for the beautiful mosaic bench. We know we're still in quarantine, but we have some native plants coming to fill the area and will need the clearing done and the concrete pad in before they arrive. It's outdoors and we will maintain the recommended 6 feet between workers. If you can help, please email Laura Sievert at sievfam@gmail.com and we'll pick a time when we have a few volunteers. Thank you!
A final word...
This poem by Martha Spong may help you prepare your heart for worship this Sunday. Remember to have a 'heart' stone with you, maybe a candle to light, and something to eat as we gather around our 'virtual table' together!
He Walked Ahead
He walked ahead
as if he were
going on,
the man they
did not know.
They liked the way he talked;
they wanted more
and called out:
Stay with us,
break bread with us.
He broke the bread.
They knew him then.
Stay with us!
But he was going on.
And so we go on together,
remembering who and when,
breaking the bread,
and telling the story.
I'm praying for you, Church! Pastor Jo Anne