Greta McDonald's blog

There was much to savor last Sunday evening as I looked back through the day. There were the usual gifts of meaningful conversations with people after the worship services, of sharing the presence of Christ in communion and listening to scripture.

I knew one of our church sign-changers was going to update our new outdoor sign right after worship last Sunday to reflect our special Rally Day worship schedule. So I took a careful look when I drove past it later in the day.

It had the information I'd expected - the 8:15 Service, the 10:00 Together @10 Service, and 11:00 Messy Church, with one small detail I hadn't expected - an exclamation point after the word "Worship" at the top of the sign.

"Worship!"

The solar eclipse occurred this past Monday, and all week we've been hearing the question, "Did you see it?"

For our grandsons in the southwest suburbs, it was a special first-day-of-school activity, with every student getting a pair of cardboard eclipse glasses from their principal, and knowing, as they watched outside, that they were part of a special event touching the whole world.

Jim and I want to give a big "thank you" to Leah Ostwald for giving the sermon in worship last Sunday, while we were away on vacation, and to John Smoke for leading the service along with Leah. We have heard reports since we've been home of what a meaningful service it was - as we were sure it would be. Thanks!

An amazing thing happened as we were sharing our Joys and Concerns at the 10:00 service last Sunday -  Julie Stone (who had attended the earlier 8:30 service already) came in from the parlor to announce that a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Darien had just dropped of a large donation of school supplies from that congregation to add to our church's school supply drive for Hope's Front Door. What a gift! And what a great expression of partnership together - people of faith and love joining hands and resources to make a difference.

I am looking forward to tomorrow morning - our church building will be a crossroads of mission!

The Adult/Intergenerational Mission Team will be returning from their week of labor, learning, and love, doing facility repairs (like replacing sidewalks!), working with the repurposing/recycling ministry, and helping serve the clients at Cass Community Center in Detroit, Michigan. They'll have some great stories to share with us!

Monday morning three charter buses and a few cars will line up in our church parking lot, and carry 168 children, youth, and adults to Church Camp at Wesley Woods in Williams Bay, Wisconsin

Today, for many of the children and teens in our church community, is the last day of school. Tests are completed, desks and lockers cleaned out, and "goodbyes" and "thank-yous" are spoken from students to teachers - "goodbyes" and "thank-yous" that may surprise the students themselves as they speak them, by revealing a student's sudden deep sense of gratitude, or a tender memory of having been encouraged by the teacher at an important moment, or an inner acknowledgement of the hard work done by the teacher all year to bring out the best in him or her.

Monday is Memorial Day, a time for us remember those who have laid down their lives to protect the lives of others. We may gather with neighbors at community observances, or prayerfully remember their sacrifices in moments by ourselves. We remember both in general - the many, many who together changed the course of events; and in particular - that uncle, that sister, that son, whose lives were given hoping to bring peace for others.

This Sunday, as we gather for worship, we'll be celebrating Mothers' Day, as well as highlighting United Methodist Women.

The day-by-day love, encouragement, and resilience of mothers in our lives, whether the mothers in our immediate families, or those women beyond our families whose love and care have shaped and influenced us, are holy gifts that speak to us of the love and presence of God.