weekly letter

July 11, 2007

 

Greetings to all!

 

We are in the midst of summer now and the high point of the summer travel season.  People often place great expectations on their summer vacation travel.  Yet, the key to enjoying life may be less about exotic destinations and more about paying attention wherever we are.  Anthony DeMello, in his often edgy style, offers a cautionary tale, not only about vacation, but even more about ordinary life.

 

     A family is going to take a three-day trip to Switzerland.  They spend months planning their vacation, and when they get there, they spend most of the time planning their trip back.  While they're in Switzerland, instead of enjoying that astonishing scenery, instead of breathing the air, they are busy taking photos to show their friends.  Photos of places they have never been.  They were there physically, but they weren't really there, they were somewhere else.  Unreal vacation, unreal life!  We live in a future culture - the culture of tomorrow.  Tomorrow I'm going to be happy; tomorrow, I'm going to live.  And so, when I get to high school, I'm going to live; when I'm in the university, I'm going to live.  And when you get to the university, you'll say, "When I get married, I'm going to live." After you get married, "Okay, when the children grow up, I'm going to live." When the children grow up, you're not going to know what it means to live!  You're very likely to die without ever having lived...What is the cure for this?...Do some everyday thing, and as you do it, verbalize what you are doing.  This is a very good exercise for entering into the present, for coming to the here and now and to life.

(from Walking on Water)

The Scripture lessons for Sunday, July 15:

     Amos 7:7-17

     Galatians 2:15-21

     Luke 10:25-37

 

Sunday Conversations continue this Sunday, July 15, 10am, with our series Jesus...On Life.  This Sunday we consider Jesus...On Marriage and Family.

 

Opportunities for Hospitality are available for a variety of Sundays during the summer including this Sunday, July 15.  Let us know by reply email if you would like to host/co-host refreshments for this Sunday and/or use the sign up sheet in the sanctuary foyer to schedule for a Sunday later in the summer.  Thanks to Danae & Michael Spencer, Nell and Mark Horman, and Barb and Mike Ward for providing refreshments last Sunday.

 

Walnut Hill on the Web:  Just a reminder that Walnut Hill is now in cyberspace at www.walnuthillchurchky.org. On the website you will find copies of recent weekly letters, podcasts of Sunday sermons, general information, and even some recently posted photos.  Thanks to Nelson Barnes for maintaining the website.

 

Mid-Summer Newsletter - A mid-summer edition of our printed newsletter is soon to be published.  Members and friends are invited to submit news or other items for inclusion in the newsletter.  Send your newsletter submissions to Martha DeReamer.  Our thanks to Martha for her ongoing service as newsletter editor.

 

Peace to all.

 

Mike Ward