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SUNDAY MORNING from the pastor June 1, 2003 The sun was up a bit before me this morning and the day is already a splash of color. A robin hops around the patio in the backyard. And three clematis vines are yielding gorgeous flowers in white, purple, and red. The cat will not be helping me with this morning's letter (she usually steps on the keyboard several times and must be tossed to the floor). She was eating insects last night, leaving me with some carpet work this morning (and had to be tossed into the garage). On Tuesday of this past week, Mindy arrived home from England after spending four months at Hull University. It was great to see her, fun to see the pictures she took, and satisfying to have her back safe, wiser, and more self-confident from her adventures. Annual Conference went from Wednesday to Saturday of this past week. Approximately 2000 persons--laity and clergy--from the southern three fourths of the state met in Peoria for the annual meeting. It is a time to worship, see old friends, conduct the business of the conference, and receive appointments to churches for the coming year. Appointments to churches were made Thursday afternoon, and I will begin my third year here in Urbana starting July 1. Today is teacher appreciation in our church. It is an opportunity to salute those who have been tending our Sunday School in the past year: Brenda Carter, Ann McHenry, Marilyn Wright, Karen Knight, Rose McCarthy, Richard King, Jill King, Joan O= Connell, Pat Ziebart, Ron Weidner, Jim Ferguson, Bobbie Ford, Barb Wood, and June Schwartz. These faithful folks have engaged our minds and hearts Sunday after Sunday. They have made sacrifices to serve us and our children. They usually serve without fanfare, and many Sundays, without much thanks. They are compassionate, reliable, and creative. What they do is a ministry. We say thanks to them today. And we pray for them--and for all the seeds they have planted in our hearts and minds this past year. This being the first Sunday in June, we are into our summer plans at Grace Church. Keep your eyes open for our corn picking/selling (money for missions) project, work on the Angel Project (Habitat for Humanity house here in town), the kids musical, the Philo Road Kids Fair (Vacation Bible School), summer church camps, the youth mission trip to North Carolina, work at the Henderson Mission in Kentucky, church softball games, the church camping trip, Southern Gospel music concerts, a Super Sunday School program involving intergenerational learning, Virginia's flowers greeting us anew each week, inspiring worship services, WellSpring each Wednesday night for healing and renewal, continuing small groups--and starting in July, the birthing of Grace Street and Grace Years. And I'm sure I left out a few things. Be sure to check our website for neat pictures--almost every week of events around Grace Church (you may be in some of them!): www.urbanagrace.org --Mike |
