A Recovery Day and some reminders

Friends, this photo has been working on me a lot since I photographed it on Monday.  It was a big part of my most recent Imago Scriptura post and I shared this:

On Monday, Winton Lake had flooded again and the benches were just above the waterline. In the photo, the bench isn’t moving, but the water is stirring all around it and reflecting the mottled clouds in the cyan sky. It was unique to see in person, but the photo that resulted…a sight to behold.

It speaks to me of rest, mystery, and wonder.  What does it speak to you?  One of those, rest, is something I'll share a bit more about below but I just wanted to also share a few quick reminders:

Practical Grace Non-Food Pantry - This Saturday is our next distribution day!  So we'd love to have you out to help share the joy of this ministry!  Come anytime between 930am and noon!  

Room at the Table - Billy Joel Tribute Band Concert - a week from Saturday is our first "outing" as part of our summer focus.  We'll be seeing Greg and Nancy Hudson's Billy Joel Tribute band in Glendale.  Info is in the latest ReSounds and in the worship bulletin.  

Sunday, June 28 - That Sunday we'll be back in the Fellowship Hall for worship for another meal.  But unlike the meal we shared this past Sunday (The Lord's Supper), we'll have a Sunday brunch that will be a part of the service itself.  Normal service time at 10:30am.  (This Sunday, June 21, we're in the sanctuary).  

Book Study Clarification - There was a bit of confusion about our two book studies going on this summer.  The Sunday groups are working with the book that was handed out to everyone - Meeting Jesus at the Table.  Those groups are at 9am and 1130am-ish.  The groups that are meeting at noon and 7pm on Thursday are going through The Future is Peace by Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah.  

Parking Lot Resurfacing - The parking lot and driveway are in process of being resurfaced.  Part of it has been completed but they are not going to be able to finish likely until Friday since rain is in the forecast for tonight into tomorrow and it needs to be 100% dry before they can do it.  They are going to do as much as they can today and then should finish up on Friday so all should be good for Practical Grace and for Sunday worship.  

RJC Logo-wear - show out in the community!  More details here of what is available and how to order.  

Ok, reminders done, let's talk about rest and recovery...

I have not always been as consistent with exercise as I am now and over the last few years I have had to learn how to manage my exercise load in order to not only stay consistent with exercise but also give my body the time and space it needs to recover.  As much as I'd like to go all out each day when I'm exercising, I've learned the hard way that's not going to work long term.  So here's how my weekly routine looks now.  

• Each day, Scout and I get in two walks - a longer one in the morning and a shorter one at night (the morning also usually functions as sermon prep time as well as I don't generally "write" my sermons but instead talk them out throughout the week).  
• I run on the treadmill Mon-Fri and a lighter/shorter run on Saturday but no running on Sunday. 
• I do yoga each day - varying intensity. 
• Mondays and Thursdays I do 20-30 minutes of kickboxing
• Tuesdays and Fridays are weights
• Wednesdays - Pilates

So in there you'll notice that Wednesdays are lighter days as are Saturdays and Sundays.  Those are days when I intentionally set aside time to recover.  And you know what, my body is healthier for it.  

So why am I sharing all this?  Its not because I'm bragging about how fit I am but it ties in with what we've experienced the last two Sundays and what we'll be doing this Sunday.  

This summer, we're playing around with a slightly different order of worship and we are experimenting with some things of how we share the message/reflection/sermon part of the service.  The last two sermons have been rather different than what most folks have been used to.  

One was a good bit of dialogue back and forth with me and the congregation in the sanctuary.  The other, this past Sunday in the Fellowship Hall, was a lot of time in small groups that we formed as the service began.  While I had quite a few folks share that they really appreciated "shaking things up" I also realize that, like my exercise routine, we need to have some rest/recovery times as well.  

So this Sunday, while we're in the sanctuary, we'll still be following the "Today's Menu" flow of the service but the sermon will be a more of what a "normal" sermon time is like.  

Healthy growth is a combination of pushing beyond what we're used to and also letting our bodies recover and restore.  This is the same whether we're talking about physical exercise or spiritual exercise.  

See you Sunday, if not before.  

Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,

Pastor Ed