Appleseed Ponderings – February 2024

My goodness! I’ve heard it dozens of times in the last week… where has the time gone, as February disappears from present to past!

Pastor Erik and I are having a great time co-facilitating the “A Disciple’s Path” small group. It’s really important for all of us to find and connect in study to know God, church and the people who represent God for us most closely in relationships. I’ll be sorry to see it come to an end in March.

Zeteo, a weekend of worship arts and worship, was experienced by a number of our youth and their parents. If you were in church on Sunday, Feb. 25, you saw a representative video from Kal Falls and Sadie Kollias, heard Courtney as a proxy for Josh Lee (who got sick that morning), and in-person from Bree Austin. It’s a joy to pray for the ongoing formation of our growing disciples (by the way…that’s all of us!).

Worship continues in the Fellowship Hall, as the work continues to renovate the lighting and video in the sanctuary, including new carpet for the sanctuary and laminate for the entry area. We continue to pray that we will be worshiping Easter Sunday in the refurbished sanctuary, yet all of us know that remodeling on a timeline is unpredictable with so many vendors, purchases, work products, etc. Our Trustees, especially Larry Rogers and Gary Todd, and many other people are working hard toward the completion and are praying with us, too!

On Sunday, February 11, we finished a 3-sermon series on generosity: giving-service-newness and multiplication. We committed ourselves and, specifically, our financial generosity for the ministry and mission of God’s church so the staff, facility, in-reach and outreach will continue and flourish. It takes all of us to do all we can. Then, we celebrated our commitments with a wonderful brunch, honoring and thanking us for the ongoing support. Thanks to the Generosity Team, especially Ben and Kate Falls.

We feasted at the well-attended, well-managed, and delicious pancake supper hosted by our youth and leaders. Their demonstration of hospitality and hard work for others was front and center for all to see and experience. Thank you!

And, with Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, many began to fast from something as a spiritual discipline, or added something that would deepen their relationship with God in Christ, as we repent of what caused God for love of us to send Jesus to die and bear our sin-consequences. Godself loved us into the kingdom, which is now, and is still coming, on that day God’s mission to reconcile and restore all people to him is finished. Whatever is your practice, be faithful to it, and treat yourself, and those in your spheres of influence, gently and with lovingkindness.

The Winter Soul-stice day retreat on February 24, with Dr. Pat Fosarelli, led us to greater understanding of the “fearfully and wonderfully way” (from Ps 139) God has made us for fruitfulness, health, and wholeness. Each of the nearly 30 attendees came away with a personal practice to include on their Lenten walk, greater wisdom about the importance of mind-body-spirit integration for wellness, and a sense of communion and community that genuinely included the participants from other churches and traditions. God is acting in hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies, indeed!

If we have any Leap Year birthdays out there: Happy Birthday! You deserve to hear it a lot when it rolls around! And to each of you, may the Love that is the Light of the World be visible in and through you as we, together, walk toward Jerusalem and Holy Week with Jesus, our Lord and Savior. And, may the hope of Resurrection sustain you.

Barb Julian, Lay Leader