A Moment of Zen, May services, and Room at the Table

So Wednesday morning, I was out with Scout at Winton Lake and there was a really uniquely beautiful moment. The lake was a bit flooded from the overnight rain and one of the paths had about an inch or so of water. As Scout and I walked on the dry portion, I noticed this single leaf floating. It looked like it was not only floating on water, but also floating on air because the water was so clear beneath it. I stopped for a minute or so and just watched it before I took out my phone to record this moment. If you need a moment of zen, of calm, of gentle movements of God's Spirit, click the video above...

In Eugene Peterson's Message translation of the Bible, he translates Matthew 11:28-30 like this:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

God's unforced rhythms of grace...Amen.

Friends, the rest of May is going to be FULL but it is going to be so good with so much to celebrate of God's work.

The Help Squad had an amazing night on Tuesday night for their annual fundraiser - this year called Cinco de Neon. Local 12 did a great feature on it! Check it out!

Cinco de Neon - The Help Squad 

Sundays Coming Up - Each Sunday coming up in May has something really unique...

• May 10 - Our focus in worship this coming Sunday is the one stained glass symbol that isn't directly drawn from a story in the Bible...any guesses what it might be? We'll be talking about "origin stories" drawn from the window and from the book of Acts.
• May 17 - I am going to be out of town as I'll be in Atlanta at Zoë's graduation while Amy will be with Eldra at Zach's graduation in Wooster! That Sunday, Rev. Meshach Kanyion will be back for helping lead in worship!
• May 24 - This is our last Sunday with Pillar of Truth sharing the building and it is also Pentecost Sunday. We'll be sharing a combined service with our two congregations where the service will be partly in English and partly in Amharic. After the service we will share an Ethiopian/American potluck in the Fellowship Hall (and likely overflowing to other rooms too). More details to come about what to bring, but do plan to be there for what will be a morning of gratitude for God's work through all people.
• May 31 - We are moving Memorial Day to this Sunday because of everything happening on the 24th and we will have a time aafter the conclusion of the service to remember and give thanks for thsoe who have given their lives in service to our country. During the service we will be blessings recent graduates and ordaining and installing the next class of servant leaders in our congregation - our deacons and ruling elders.

Hard to believe but once we get through May, we are into summer! Our summer focus will be on the table stories of Jesus. We'll be spending time around literal tables in worship and other times each week. We'll be eating together, celebrating together, and sharing together. It is also a reminder that, in the Realm of God, there's ALWAYS more room at the table. ALWAYS. So who will you invite to our services? To the local free concerts we'll go to? To the book studies that will be happening as well? Always room at the table!

During our Room at the Table focus this summer, I am going to offer a midweek small group time to read and reflect on the recent book, The Future is Peace, by Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon. Here's how the book is described on bookshop.org 

In The Future Is Peace Sarah and Inon take readers on a transformative weeklong journey across a sacred and bloodstained land. Facing competing narratives, they explore how compassion and unity can pull humanity back from the precipice of blind hatred. Throughout their travels, they have been constantly asked: In the face of so much loss, how can we ever find hope? Their answer is always the same. One cannot find hope. We must create it.

This book is a rebuttal to a broken world and a bold challenge to the belief that more violence can ever bring security. Told with unflinching honesty, their story is proof that peace is not a naive dream, but a courageous choice—for reconciliation to heal the wounds of revenge, for partnerships to change a destiny of war, and for empathy to save us from drowning in sorrow.

The book speaks not only to the conflict in Israel and Palestine but also speaks to how we engage with one another across the divides that are present among us - political, social, religious, etc. It is very much a book about what it means to welcome all people to "the table."

There will be one study over lunch hour during the week and one in the evening. I am still finalizing days and times but I wanted to let you know about the book and the studies. If you would like to participate and would like me to order a copy of the book for you, click below.

The Future is Peace - Summer 2026

There's more to share (always) but if you made it this far, good job! Just one last thing...it is that season in nature for new life! There are goslings palooza at Winton Lake right now - here are a few that Scout and I saw on Thursday morning...

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Pastor Ed