So as some of you may have heard through the grapevine, we had some water issues at the church on Tuesday. We had a few drips in one of the hallways in the education wing, water backed up in the courtyard and went under the doors out into the hallway, and we had a few small leaks in the sanctuary roof. Probably the most significant though was water that came up from the base of the wall in one of the front corners of the sanctuary. We believe that it was caused by the insane excessive rainfall we received in such a short period of time but we are still getting things checked out. Currently, the carpet in that corner is pulled up and fans and a dehumidifier is drying things out.

But I do want to say a big thank you to several of our Buildings and Grounds people who did a lot of additional work this week both in the immediate and in the days after. I am so grateful for you!

Just a quick reminder about the concert tonight. The Cincinnati Civic Orchestra will be the music and we'll be meeting at the Colerain Park Ampitheater (4725 Springdale Road) at that time!

Right now the weather looks GREAT! I will unfortunately not be able to join you all as my family has tickets to the musical, Hadestown that night. But I hope it is a wonderful evening!

The first orders of shirts will be coming in soon but we will also have samples of the RJC t-shirts in the Gathering Area this Sunday! You can see photos of the t-shirts, hoodies, and polos at the link below and there's a link to an online form to order for yourself!

RJC Logo Wear

And finally, the process has begun for prepping for our August 2 post-worship Room at the Table celebratory meal! Because of the perfect weather tonight and tomorrow, the smoking of the pork butts has begun! These will likely smoke overnight and into the morning and then they'll be shredded and frozen for a few days before getting them back out to be ready for the meal on the 2nd. I am smoking a total of 6 butts (and FYI - the butt referred to with this is not the butt that might immediately come to mind, but instead the shoulder butt). They have been rubbed down with Big Bob Gibson's Alabama BBQ rub (Paul Harvey once said that Big Bob's was his favorite BBQ in America) and will smoke (charcoal and applewood chunks) for about 12-14 hours. These racks are my little contraptions to allow me to do 4 at a time. I'll send some photos when they're done as well!. But right now, the smell outside our house is divine!

I can't wait to share these with you on the 2nd!

Well, not smoke but fog...Thursday morning was a beautiful morning at Winton Lake. It was wonderfully cool (about 58 degrees) and as a result, there was a soft, gentle layer of evaporative fog drifting across the water - a result of the cool air meeting the warm waters. But I decided that evaporative fog was too "blah" of a phrase so I came up with this...

The lake was sighing...

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. - Matthew 11:28 (Message Translation)

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Pastor Ed

Looking Back to Sunday
Friends, as we start off the week, I wanted to just go back to Sunday to not only drop a 48-hours-later reminder of the core message from Sunday but also to share the photos that were in worship so you can see them a bit clearer.

Our table story on Sunday was Matthew's version of the Last Supper which, as I shared, is the single most shared "table story" of Jesus since we hear some version of it every time we share the Lord's Supper together. The pattern that emerged as I worked with the passage comes out of the actions Jesus takes at the table.

He takes the bread/cup (an active choice)
He gives thanks / blesses (gratitude)
He breaks the bread / pours the cup (works with it)
He shares it with others

I'm still sitting chewing (pun intended) on that pattern and what it means not only for me but also for us at RJC. So likely this won't be the last time you hear about it.

But I did want to share the photos that were tied in with the message as they were not quite as clear on the screens. Yes, I am a photographer snob. ;-)

Colerain Concert in the Park - July 24 at 6pm
The next "night out" together this summer is coming up on the 24th at 6pm. The Cincinnati Civic Orchestra will be the music and we'll be meeting at the Colerain Park Ampitheater (4725 Springdale Road) at that time!

Right now the weather looks GREAT for Friday night!

Looking to Next Sunday - A Traveling Table Story
No, the table isn't walking around in our next table story on Sunday but it is a story about a lot of walking, coming to a table, and then a LOT of running. This Sunday we are going to have a bit of Easter in our worship as we look at one of the Easter Day stories in the Gospels - the story of the two disciples meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. This story may be my favorite Easter story out of all of them - there's just so much in this story that speaks to the presence and person of Jesus, the path of discipleship, and about the presence of the risen Jesus. I cannot wait to dig deeper into the story with you all this Sunday!

Long journeys are definitely on my mind as my family and I will be seeing The Odyssey tonight. So a much longer story and journey than the Luke one but a timeless one as well. Depending on what my experience of the film is, you might see it show up in my message on Sunday! 

Two Important Dates
I also wanted to remind you of two important dates coming up. The first is August 2. That is our last "Room at the Table" Sunday and we'll celebrate all the table times with a big ol meal together! I'm particularly excited about it as part of the main course will be my special smoked pulled pork. More details of what you can bring will be shared next week.

The second is Sunday, September 27 - That Sunday we will be welcoming the Colerain Chamber to come and we will be doing a "ribbon-cutting" to celebrate our first year together as a congregation. The Chamber offered to come when we first started last year but the Session felt that we would rather get to more of a place of being one community of faith rather than three and so we looked ahead to this one year anniversary. Its going to be a great Sunday - plan to be there and invite others!

Your Church Dog Photo of the Week
Scout was quite helpful this morning in helping work on crafting my sermon for Sunday. Of course, we had some beautiful inspiration in the sunrise to help...

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Pastor Ed

So going forward, I'm going to do something different with the readings.  I'm going to be posting in 3 day chunks and just comments on key parts that stand out among those three days.  So there won't be commentary on every passage but instead questions and significant things that arise for me in what I have read.  And I hope also speak to you as well!!

2 Kings Passages

• Honestly not a lot to say about these other than the deep sense of whiplash not only for us as readers but thinking of the people of Israel and Judah

Acts Passages

• I love the encouragement in the vision in verses 9-10
• Note the length of stays for Paul in these places. These were just weekend stops - he was there, invested, engaged for long periods of time.  I would love to hear more about what happened in those lengthy stays
• 18:17 - note the textual note in your Bible about this
• Also remember Apollos for when we come into the epistles - notably when we come to Ephesians...
• The Gospel sometimes does bring division - remember Jesus' words - I came not to bring peace but a sword...

Psalms 145, 146, 147

• Psalm 145 - note seven times a verse begins with "The Lord" - describing who God is and what God does
• Psalm 146 - Psalm 146 - How do we sqaure this Psalm with those who do oppress in the name of God?  Also, am I an unwitting (or choosing) oppressor?
• Psalm 147 - Look here similar to 145 at all the things God does.  God does this, this, this, this, this...

Proverbs 18:1-5

• v1 - Is this a blanket statement of instead just one who chooses to separate from community?
• vv4-5 - Can there be the deep waters without what feeds them?  So the words of the mouth need the fountains of wisdom.  

One of the many reasons to be grateful for kids who are in their 20s is that I can sit in the backseat of our car on a raod trip with Scout cuddled up next to me and one of the kids is driving! Ah freedom!

Speaking of freedom, as we all know, this weekend is the 4th of July - the 250th celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Wherever you may be, I hope you have a wonderful celebration of this day.

For this day, I wanted to share three things that have spoken to me this week around the Semiquincentennial of the founding of our country. One is a portion of a liturgy created for a multifaith service to celebrate the day. Another is a prayerful poem. And the third will take a bit longer - it is a multi-part podcast series on teh founding of our country. I hope one or more of these speak to you as they have been speaking to me.

The Liturgy - Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana

My friend MaryAnn has been part of planning an interfaith celebration of the 250th where she serves in Northern Virginia. For her part, she wrote this prayer and then shared the verses (including one that she wrote) of This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie.

Holy One, known by many names
yet beyond our understanding—

Eternal One, outside of human history
yet always at work within it:

We come together at this particular moment,
with the words of our ancestors fresh in our ears:

O beautiful for spacious skies…

Give me your tired, your poor…

The inheritance of justice is shared by some, not yet by all…

We hold these truths to be self-evident…

God shed his grace on thee…

That all are created equal…

The blessings in which some, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common…

That we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights…

Yes you, our Creator, are present.
And may what we do here today inspire and encourage all who gather,

That we would fulfill the promise of those who came before—
That a new birth of freedom would be for us and all who come after us.

May it be so.
Amen.

And then the song
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York island,
From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters;
This land was made for you and me.

Here are the additional verses that MaryAnn wrote to the song in the prayerful hope of how we keep working on helping America live up to its founding ideals.

In all our history with its twists and turning,
Remains a vision for which we’re yearning:
A world of justice, for every neighbor
This land, with room for you and me. (Refrain)

The work of freedom remains unfinished
This nation’s story, not yet unblemished
Yet we keep working, striving together
In this land that’s made for you and me (Refrain)

When we see each other in all our beauty
And work together as civic duty
Our nation’s promise, is real at last…
This land will be for you and me. (Refrain)

Original Post

The Poem - A Life of Self-Evident Truths

Rev. David Long-Higgins serves as the conference minister for one of the regional bodies of the United Church of Christ. He wrote this prayerful poem connected to this day in our country’s history. It is fairly lengthy so I'll just include part of it and then link to the rest

Yes, renew in us a commitment
 To Your self-evident truths
 
 That a life of flourishing
 Is a birthright You envision
 For all Your people
 Everywhere in every time.
 
Yes, renew in us a commitment
 To Your self-evident truths
 
 That You bestow Your freedom
 As a gift for us to bless others
 Empowered by Your agape love.

Full Prayerful Poem

The Podcast - The Founding Fathers

The Noiser podcast network specializes in historical series that are both deeply researched and also incredibly engaging. The first that I listened to from them was Titanic: Ship of Dreams. I later listened to their series on the D-Day Invasion which was also tremendous. This week, they released the first episodes of a new series on the Founding Fathers and the early history of our country. I have listened to the first three episodes and it has been such a great listen. Here’s how they describe the series:

The tale of American independence is about more than just a handful of patriotic men. It features a cast of millions - men and women, enslaved and free, indigenous and colonial. We'll explore lesser-known stories in this immense fight for liberty... and ask who lost out along the way...Brought to life with immersive sound design and original music, plus contributions from leading historians and descendants of those involved.

Here’s the main website. You can listen on that webpage or download it (free) from any of the major podcast apps.

In closing, I wanted to share this photograph from Scout and my walk at Winton Woods on Thursday morning. It was such a gift of a moment to receive this beauty. There's so much that it speaks to me but not the least of which is what we often pray... God, illuminate my path and show me way. On this 250th 4th of July weekend, that is my prayer for me and for us. Lord, illumine our path and show us the way.

And a reminder that Rev. Jim Brazell will be helping to lead in worship this weeked while I am away. I am grateful for Jim’s willingness to help and I look forward to hearing what the Spirit has laid on his heart to share this weekend.

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Pastor Ed

Tomorrow (June 28), we will be gathering for worship in the Fellowship Hall for a different kind of potluck and a different kind of service. You don't need to bring food - it will be provided (menu below). But here's what I hope you will bring with you. You can bring one or more of these things:

• Fresh Engagement
• Tasty Curiosity
• Scrambled Misconceptions

The service is going to be quite different from any we have done thus far because a big part of it is going to be dependent on what you bring for this different kind of potluck. So come with curiosity, a willingness to be changed (scrambled misconceptions), and a heart to actively engage.

The menu BTW consists of three different egg casseroles (one of them is vegetarian), fresh fruit, a variety of muffins, and coffee / orange juice / water.

We are going to have a lot of fun as we engage with the Spirit and with one another in a new way!

Dear RJC Friends - first off, this message is coming directly from Pastor Ed. In case you are wondering if this is legit, I'm writing this at my standing desk in my office and looking at a bunch of legos and Scout's dog bed in front of me.

The reason. I share that is because there is a scam message that many of you have received from someone impersonating me. I'm going to first tell you what to do and then I'll explain it. If you want the larger explanation, read the whole of the message. If you simply want to know what to do, read the bold-print part just below.

If you received a message that says it was from me that begins with

--------
Wishing you joy, peace, and a fresh reminder of God’s love today. ?" ....

this is not a message from me. It is a scam.

Do not reply and delete the message

If you did reply and have been asked to purchase gift cards and send the codes, do not do it

If you have purchased cards and sent the codes already, immediately contact wherever you purchased the gift cards and see if they can cancel them and refund your monies.

What to know going forward

NO ONE from the church staff will email you or text you and ask you to purchase gift cards or do help with an assistance request in this way.

Church staff will only email from the resoundingjoy.church email addresses or directly from our church management software (which will come from mailsystem@fluro.io).

If you have any question of whether a message you get from a church staff member is legit, do not reply to the message but instead start a new message or a call directly to that person.

This is unfortunately an all-too-common scam that is being directed at faith communities. LITERALLY EVERY Pastor, Rabbi, and Imam friend I know has had this happen within their faith communities. Here are two links that tell more detail about it.

FTC.gov 

United Methodist Church
--------

Ok - for those who want more detail read on.

A few notes about this scam:

Your email has not been hacked nor has mine. There is no personal information that has been stolen from you. There is no virus or malware that has inftected your device/computer.

The way that the scammers have done this is through a combination of freely available information on church websites, social media, etc and also using readily-available AI tools.

One vector for this is literally someone walking into the church on a Sunday morning and walking out with a church bulletin or a copy of the church directory. This is also why our church directory is not available on our church website but it is possible that someone could have walked in and picked up a paper copy.

As you can see from the links above there is little that authorities can do on this because the scammers create fake anonymous email addresses and once that email address is reported as a scammer, they just create a new one. Remind me to tell you sometime about the conversation I had about this with the Ft Thomas Police Department.

As I noted above, this has happened to EVERY faith community and every religious leader I know. It has happened with Lisa Allgood's messages from the Presbytery of Cincinnati, from colleagues here in Colerain, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, this is part of the world that we live in now.

In summary, if something feels weird, it probably is.

Pastor Ed

Friends, this photo has been working on me a lot since I photographed it on Monday.  It was a big part of my most recent Imago Scriptura post and I shared this:

On Monday, Winton Lake had flooded again and the benches were just above the waterline. In the photo, the bench isn’t moving, but the water is stirring all around it and reflecting the mottled clouds in the cyan sky. It was unique to see in person, but the photo that resulted…a sight to behold.

It speaks to me of rest, mystery, and wonder.  What does it speak to you?  One of those, rest, is something I'll share a bit more about below but I just wanted to also share a few quick reminders:

Practical Grace Non-Food Pantry - This Saturday is our next distribution day!  So we'd love to have you out to help share the joy of this ministry!  Come anytime between 930am and noon!  

Room at the Table - Billy Joel Tribute Band Concert - a week from Saturday is our first "outing" as part of our summer focus.  We'll be seeing Greg and Nancy Hudson's Billy Joel Tribute band in Glendale.  Info is in the latest ReSounds and in the worship bulletin.  

Sunday, June 28 - That Sunday we'll be back in the Fellowship Hall for worship for another meal.  But unlike the meal we shared this past Sunday (The Lord's Supper), we'll have a Sunday brunch that will be a part of the service itself.  Normal service time at 10:30am.  (This Sunday, June 21, we're in the sanctuary).  

Book Study Clarification - There was a bit of confusion about our two book studies going on this summer.  The Sunday groups are working with the book that was handed out to everyone - Meeting Jesus at the Table.  Those groups are at 9am and 1130am-ish.  The groups that are meeting at noon and 7pm on Thursday are going through The Future is Peace by Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah.  

Parking Lot Resurfacing - The parking lot and driveway are in process of being resurfaced.  Part of it has been completed but they are not going to be able to finish likely until Friday since rain is in the forecast for tonight into tomorrow and it needs to be 100% dry before they can do it.  They are going to do as much as they can today and then should finish up on Friday so all should be good for Practical Grace and for Sunday worship.  

RJC Logo-wear - show out in the community!  More details here of what is available and how to order.  

Ok, reminders done, let's talk about rest and recovery...

I have not always been as consistent with exercise as I am now and over the last few years I have had to learn how to manage my exercise load in order to not only stay consistent with exercise but also give my body the time and space it needs to recover.  As much as I'd like to go all out each day when I'm exercising, I've learned the hard way that's not going to work long term.  So here's how my weekly routine looks now.  

• Each day, Scout and I get in two walks - a longer one in the morning and a shorter one at night (the morning also usually functions as sermon prep time as well as I don't generally "write" my sermons but instead talk them out throughout the week).  
• I run on the treadmill Mon-Fri and a lighter/shorter run on Saturday but no running on Sunday. 
• I do yoga each day - varying intensity. 
• Mondays and Thursdays I do 20-30 minutes of kickboxing
• Tuesdays and Fridays are weights
• Wednesdays - Pilates

So in there you'll notice that Wednesdays are lighter days as are Saturdays and Sundays.  Those are days when I intentionally set aside time to recover.  And you know what, my body is healthier for it.  

So why am I sharing all this?  Its not because I'm bragging about how fit I am but it ties in with what we've experienced the last two Sundays and what we'll be doing this Sunday.  

This summer, we're playing around with a slightly different order of worship and we are experimenting with some things of how we share the message/reflection/sermon part of the service.  The last two sermons have been rather different than what most folks have been used to.  

One was a good bit of dialogue back and forth with me and the congregation in the sanctuary.  The other, this past Sunday in the Fellowship Hall, was a lot of time in small groups that we formed as the service began.  While I had quite a few folks share that they really appreciated "shaking things up" I also realize that, like my exercise routine, we need to have some rest/recovery times as well.  

So this Sunday, while we're in the sanctuary, we'll still be following the "Today's Menu" flow of the service but the sermon will be a more of what a "normal" sermon time is like.  

Healthy growth is a combination of pushing beyond what we're used to and also letting our bodies recover and restore.  This is the same whether we're talking about physical exercise or spiritual exercise.  

See you Sunday, if not before.  

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,

Pastor Ed

Thanks for helping to make RJC more visible in the community!  Below are images of the options and here's the link for the online ordering form

RJC Logowear Ordering

Friends, this morning's sunrise was begging to be shared.  Wow.  And I almost decided to not go to the lake this morning.  So glad I did.  Above is a panorama of 8 photos stitched together and then below are a few others from the morning.  

The heavens are telling the glory of God... Psalm 19:1

I've had several requests since yesterday morning for a copy of Scout's commencement address so I wanted to share that here as well.  :-)

Here's a link to the manuscript that mostly follows what was shared

Scout's Commencement Address - 1 Timothy 6

And here's the video from Sunday - the sermon is about 20ish minutes into the service

Friends, I'm still on a bit of a Pentecost "high" from last Sunday. What a beautiful celebration and gathering! I loved having the celebration of our time together in the languages of Amharic, English, and the languages of love and community. Above is a short video that Lori recorded to give just a taste of what we shared in the service.

Pentecost is still with us in what we are sharing this coming Sunday as we will bless recent graduates, ordain and install our servant leaders for the year ahead, and receive a "commencement address" from a very special guest.

I was richly blessed this morning by a prayer I read in the daily email from the Center for Action and Contemplation. It was sent in by one of the readers of their messages.

Come Holy Spirit, ever renewing, God beyond the one we thought we knew. Flowing like water, free as the wind, found in the margins, not in the text, hidden in corners, seen when not looking, present in absence, but found in Jesus…. Come, Holy Spirit, break down the walls of the words we know. Teach us to speak God’s love in new tongues … to everyone, everywhere…. Come, Holy Spirit, let us know we are not weighed down by all our yesterdays, but may soar with you, wind, fire, can, will, live now in the freedom of resurrection given us through Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

This Sunday, after the benediction and postlude, we will also have a Memorial Day remembrance time. It will be a time to remember those who have given of themselves in service to our country, for others, and in the faith. Please plan to stay after the worship service concludes for this special time of prayer and remembrance.

This Saturday is the Art-O-Rama event for Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble.  It is a silent auction of original art by renowned artist William Helvey.  Music by CFE musicians will also fill the spaces where the art will be displayed.  Refreshments will also be provided.  Funds from the silent auctions are donations to the CFE's high school / college prep scholarship program.

Just a reminder that our summer Room at the Table focus begins in June!  Our services will all center on the table stories of Jesus.   We'll be focusing on the radically inclusive welcoming table that Jesus sets for all.  Some Sundays we will be in the sanctuary and some we will be in the Fellowship Hall for our services.  We also will have special events throughout the summer to simply come together with one another and also to invite others to join in.  One of those events will be Saturday night, June 27 for Nancy and Greg Hudson's Billy Joel Tribute Band as they perform in Greenhills!  

In addition, our Sunday morning small groups will be digging into a book called Meeting Jesus at the Table (which was the inspiration for this series) and then on Thursdays (starting June 11), there will be a daytime small group from 12-1 and an evening one from 7-8 going into how coming to the table can bring enemies together.  In those groups we will be reading and sharing about the book The Future is Peace.  I have copies of this book if you would like one.  

One of the amazing things about Jesus' table is that there is somehow always always always room for more.  

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Pastor Ed

So, that "brief break" ended up being a bit longer than planned.  But we're back!  

There's so much new life around Winton Lake right now.  If you want to just soak up some cuteness, be at the lake about 30 minutes after sunrise and in the cove by the main center, you'll see so many little goslings running around with their parents.  It is so beautiful.  Just don't get too close to the parental geese or you might get hissed at or charged at (both happened to me this week as this photographer just wanted to get a little bit closer).  

I loved this little one especially - popping out their wings that aren't yet big enough to fly but someday they will be.  Its like that in the Realm of God - we are promised that the realm of God is here but we also reocnigze that it isn't yet here fully.  We're still waiting for the renewal and restoration of all things.  Just like that litlte one is trying to get their wings to start doing what wings are meant to do.  

I'm heading out of town in a few hours for Zoë's graduation in Atlanta while Amy and Eldra head north tomorrow for Zach's.  Before heading out, I wanted to just share a few reminders for whats coming up on the 24th and 31st.  This Sunday, I'm excited for the super duo of Jean Denny as the RJC liturgist and Rev. Meshach Kanyion as preacher joining our musicians in leading Sunday's service!  

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,

Pastor Ed

On the 24th, we are going to have quite a Sunday.  We will be sharing a service with our friends from Pillar of Truth on their last Sunday sharing the RJC building.  Our service is going to be in both English and Amharic (with translations as much as possible) and we will also be offering blessings to one another on the next stages of ministry for each of our congregations.  This will all be done in the spirit of Pentecost - the day of remembering the coming of the Holy Spirit that we read about in Acts 2.  

Following the service, we will be sharing an Ethiopian/American potluck meal.  We're not assigning people to parts of the meal - just bring a main, a side, or a dessert and we'll see what comes together.  All the food will be in Fellowship Hall as will a lot of tables and chairs but we will likely overflow out into some other rooms and into the Gathering Area.  A nice problem to have!  

Come Holy Spirit Come!

እንደ መንፈስ ቅዱስ

Our service on May 31 will also be quite a bit different than our normal.  We have several additional things "happening" that morning

• A brief congregational meeting at the start to elect one more Deacon
• A blessing for recent graduates
• Ordination and Installation of our Elders and Deacons

And then following the conclusion of the worship portion of our time together, we will have a time to remember and honor those who have given their lives in service to our country.

Just a note that there will be about a week break in my little "notes" for the Bible in a Year.  We'll resume with Wednesday, May 20!  

So Wednesday morning, I was out with Scout at Winton Lake and there was a really uniquely beautiful moment. The lake was a bit flooded from the overnight rain and one of the paths had about an inch or so of water. As Scout and I walked on the dry portion, I noticed this single leaf floating. It looked like it was not only floating on water, but also floating on air because the water was so clear beneath it. I stopped for a minute or so and just watched it before I took out my phone to record this moment. If you need a moment of zen, of calm, of gentle movements of God's Spirit, click the video above...

In Eugene Peterson's Message translation of the Bible, he translates Matthew 11:28-30 like this:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

God's unforced rhythms of grace...Amen.

Friends, the rest of May is going to be FULL but it is going to be so good with so much to celebrate of God's work.

The Help Squad had an amazing night on Tuesday night for their annual fundraiser - this year called Cinco de Neon. Local 12 did a great feature on it! Check it out!

Cinco de Neon - The Help Squad 

Sundays Coming Up - Each Sunday coming up in May has something really unique...

• May 10 - Our focus in worship this coming Sunday is the one stained glass symbol that isn't directly drawn from a story in the Bible...any guesses what it might be? We'll be talking about "origin stories" drawn from the window and from the book of Acts.
• May 17 - I am going to be out of town as I'll be in Atlanta at Zoë's graduation while Amy will be with Eldra at Zach's graduation in Wooster! That Sunday, Rev. Meshach Kanyion will be back for helping lead in worship!
• May 24 - This is our last Sunday with Pillar of Truth sharing the building and it is also Pentecost Sunday. We'll be sharing a combined service with our two congregations where the service will be partly in English and partly in Amharic. After the service we will share an Ethiopian/American potluck in the Fellowship Hall (and likely overflowing to other rooms too). More details to come about what to bring, but do plan to be there for what will be a morning of gratitude for God's work through all people.
• May 31 - We are moving Memorial Day to this Sunday because of everything happening on the 24th and we will have a time aafter the conclusion of the service to remember and give thanks for thsoe who have given their lives in service to our country. During the service we will be blessings recent graduates and ordaining and installing the next class of servant leaders in our congregation - our deacons and ruling elders.

Hard to believe but once we get through May, we are into summer! Our summer focus will be on the table stories of Jesus. We'll be spending time around literal tables in worship and other times each week. We'll be eating together, celebrating together, and sharing together. It is also a reminder that, in the Realm of God, there's ALWAYS more room at the table. ALWAYS. So who will you invite to our services? To the local free concerts we'll go to? To the book studies that will be happening as well? Always room at the table!

During our Room at the Table focus this summer, I am going to offer a midweek small group time to read and reflect on the recent book, The Future is Peace, by Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon. Here's how the book is described on bookshop.org 

In The Future Is Peace Sarah and Inon take readers on a transformative weeklong journey across a sacred and bloodstained land. Facing competing narratives, they explore how compassion and unity can pull humanity back from the precipice of blind hatred. Throughout their travels, they have been constantly asked: In the face of so much loss, how can we ever find hope? Their answer is always the same. One cannot find hope. We must create it.

This book is a rebuttal to a broken world and a bold challenge to the belief that more violence can ever bring security. Told with unflinching honesty, their story is proof that peace is not a naive dream, but a courageous choice—for reconciliation to heal the wounds of revenge, for partnerships to change a destiny of war, and for empathy to save us from drowning in sorrow.

The book speaks not only to the conflict in Israel and Palestine but also speaks to how we engage with one another across the divides that are present among us - political, social, religious, etc. It is very much a book about what it means to welcome all people to "the table."

There will be one study over lunch hour during the week and one in the evening. I am still finalizing days and times but I wanted to let you know about the book and the studies. If you would like to participate and would like me to order a copy of the book for you, click below.

The Future is Peace - Summer 2026

There's more to share (always) but if you made it this far, good job! Just one last thing...it is that season in nature for new life! There are goslings palooza at Winton Lake right now - here are a few that Scout and I saw on Thursday morning...

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Pastor Ed