The summer solstice arrived on Sunday and the end of the school year is on Friday - how did that happen?! During this pandemic, it surprises me how time still moves just as quickly as ever. And here we are in Stage/Step 1 of our getting 'back to a new normal' and people are shopping in person and on patios and visiting outside in small gatherings - our hard work is paying off!!

And as we look towards summer, we share that we will be moving to a monthly Passing the Peace newsletter for July and August. Please note! As in past years, there will be no worship service on the first Sunday in July, the 4th, on the long Canada Day weekend. We will share information regarding the remaining services in July with the next newsletter due out the first week.

So get out there, enjoy this season that we have so longed for! And with hope, we will soon be able to share news of a fall reopening.

PRAYER FOR SUMMERTIME - from Marquette University

Loving God, Creator of all times and places, we thank you for the gift of summertime, the days of light, warmth and leisure. 

Thank you for the beauty that surrounds us everywhere we look: the multi-colored flowers, the deep blue of the sky, the tranquil surface of lakes, the laughter of children at play, people strolling in parks, families gathered around picnic tables and the more time to spend with family and friends. 

As we open our eyes and ears to the landscape of nature and people, open our hearts to receive all as gift. Give us that insight to see you as the Divine Artist. Help us to realize and appreciate that you are laboring to keep all in existence. Warm our souls with the awareness of your presence. 

Let all the gifts we enjoy this summer deepen our awareness of your love so that we may share this with others and enjoy a summertime of re-creation. 

AMEN

 

Karen Murray-Hopf

Communications & Media Coordinator