Last Sunday—Homecoming Sunday—was a great day at the church. The in-person count that morning was 452 people, and we had some 200 devices sign in online. What a difference it makes to have the Sanctuary full of people! There is nothing like a room full of people joining together for Sunday worship. The day started with the pancake breakfast sponsored by our Men’s Group. Food always helps bring people together. The buzz in the Sanctuary for the service that included all ages was wonderful. The service was followed by an open house in our Learning Community and a tour of the church plant, and “T” Time was a place for our trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive, exclusive members to gather.

It seems as if on just about every Sunday since we returned in person that we’ve had folks coming back for the first time and last Sunday was no exception. It is so good to see folks once again and to see folks getting back into the habit of coming to church.

These have not be an easy few years in so many ways and maintaining a sense of community through all this has been really hard. And…. the sense of the church emerging into a new chapter really feels like it is happening right now. There are still lots of questions about just what that church will look like in the years to come. But right now, in this moment, I’m mostly feeling gratitude and hope.

Hope to see you in church soon.

Here are some words by poet Rita Dove.

Dawn Revisited

Imagine you wake up
with a second chance: The blue jay
hawks his pretty wares
and the oak still stands, spreading
glorious shade. If you don’t look back,

the future never happens.
How good to rise in sunlight,
in the prodigal smell of biscuits –
eggs and sausage on the grill.
The whole sky is yours

to write on, blown open
to a blank page. Come on,
shake a leg! You’ll never know
who’s down there, frying those eggs,
if you don’t get up and see.

In faith,

Tom

Rev. Thomas Disrud (he/him)

Associate Minister