Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of ever kind on earth that bear fruit with seed in it.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with seed in it. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:11-12
Spring has sprung! It’s like someone pulled a plug, and suddenly there is an explosion of blossoming trees and plants all over the place. The bushes in my yard are in full bloom as I write this article. While these blossoms are short lived, I look forward to their brilliant colors each spring. Leaves on the trees are unfolding with each sun-soaked day, promising to raise their arm-like limbs up into the air, as if praising God with sheer joy. With the spring rains we’ve received this year, our water levels in the lakes, creeks, and streams seem to be at comfortable levels. The crisp morning air beckons us to take in deep cleansing breaths. What a joy spring can be in this region.
Our gardens and yards are not the only place where we might see blossoming growth. Throughout Lent six young people, led by Pat Cook, studied what it means to receive the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. A few days before Palm Sunday, I asked them specific questions about what Holy Communion means to them, and to the church. The responses were deep, rich, and meaningful. Their studies were thorough and taken very seriously. If you have not done so already, please extend a welcome to the Lord’s Table to Averie Cunningham, Lana, Layla, and Landon Moore, Archer Kumi, and Kwasi Asante. See the photo on the next page!
Our Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter services were very well attended. It’s so wonderful to see our pews filled with people singing, praying, and worshipping our God of abundance. I would like to thank you for inviting people to worship. Please keep it up!
As we look forward to summer, we know that there are a variety of things that distract us from coming to worship on Sunday mornings. Sports activities, the shore, vacations, traveling, and just relaxing at home are wonderful ways to enjoy our leisure time. But, let’s not forget that God does not take time off. God “watches over your going out and your coming in” without a break. So – how can we keep our blossoming to continue through the entire summer?
Have I got a deal for you!! It’s called “Cookout and Communion”. On Thursday evenings from June 13th – August 22nd (except for the 4th of July) at 6:00 p.m. we will serve a simple barbecue hot dog dinner in the Memorial Garden, with a very brief service immediately following. If you’re going away for the weekend, you can come to worship on Thursday, and not have to rush home for Sunday morning worship. I could use some help with this – I would need one reader, one communion assistant, and one “chef” for the evening. There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex!
Let’s keep our attendance up this summer. If you can’t make it on Sunday mornings, please come on Thursday evenings – help us to make this new ministry blossom into a beautiful way to praise God.
In Christ,
Pastor Jay
1 - From Psalm 121 2 - Chef will also clean up after service