June 25, 2008
Greetings to all!
It is officially summer now. Like all the seasons, summer offers its particular gifts. In her book, The Irrational Season, Madeleine L'Engle shares a summer vision provided by her dog, Timothy, a setter that had been rescued from an abusive previous owner. It took a long time, but Timothy finally shed most of his fears...
For this summer Timothy has his swallow...Timothy will rush out to the big meadow, his once-timid tail waving ecstatically. He looks adoringly up at the sky, wagging, listening, and the swallow comes to him, flying very low, and then Tim will run along with the bird while it flies, back and forth, round and about, in great parabolas, all over the big meadow. Then the swallow will fly off and up, and Tim will stand looking upward, swishing his tail, and waiting for his friend to return.
It has been a great joy to us to watch this amazing friendship. Day after day they play together, and the game never palls. There is nothing of the stalker and hunter in Timothy's actions when he is with the swallow. Occasionally he will accidentally flush a pheasant, and then his tail goes straight out and still, and one forepaw curves up and he points. But with his swallow, his tail never stops waving. The two of them are lion and lamb together for me, a foretaste of Isaiah's vision. When I watch them playing together in the green and blue, it is a moment of transfiguration....These glimpses of reality are the foundation stones of faith.
The scripture lessons for Sunday, June 29:
Genesis 22:1-14
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42
Sunday Conversations around the scripture lessons for the day (see above) continue this Sunday, June 29, 10am, in Trinity Hall. Feel free to stop in and enjoy a cup of coffee, join the conversation, or just listen in.
Hospitality: We have been blessed with abundant hospitality during recent months. Thanks to all those who have provided hospitality for our after worship gatherings. We do have a couple open Sundays upcoming, including this Sunday, June 29, and Sunday, July 13. Use reply email to let us know if you would like to host/co-host either of these two Sundays.
Walnut Hill Worship Book: The provisional edition of the Walnut Hill Worship Book is now in the Sanctuary for your Sunday use and review as we move toward the printing of a final edition later in the year. Members and friends are invited, even encouraged, to examine the book and offer such comments as will be helpful in making the final edition a resource useful for years to come. Thanks to Phil Bloomfield for his work on this project.
Midwest Flood Relief: A basket has been placed in the Sanctuary foyer for all who would like to make a special donation to assist those affected by the recent floods in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. Make any checks payable to "Walnut Hill Church", designated flood relief. Our gifts will be sent via Church World Service, an ecumenical agency involved in disaster relief around the world.
Thanks, news, etc...
*Thanks to...Ms. Ann Stanchina who supplied at the organ this past Sunday; the DeReamers and the Smiths for providing our after worship refreshments last Sunday; to Derek Vaughan for his work with the youth this past Sunday.
*Ten Walnut Hill men and guests gathered for dinner this week at Jo-Beth Booksellers. Thanks to Gene Brockopp for arranging the gathering.
*Two children from Athens-Chilesburg Elementary School are attending Reading Camp this week at Cathedral Domain under sponsorship by Walnut Hill. Keep these and all the children at reading camp in your prayers for a truly transforming week.
*A mid-summer edition of the printed newsletter is soon to be published. Please contact Martha DeReamer if you have items to be included in the newsletter.
Peace to all.
Mike Ward
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