I've been meaning to ask...
Our outdoor summer worship has begun! Last Sunday, we had a fantastic turnout for our annual outdoor ecumenical service. We were blessed by a reflection from Rev. Taeseob Cho, Jericho United Methodist, reminding us of the importance of opening doors to both enter and share God’s kingdom. Musicians from Good Shepherd and Calvary (including their new Priest in Charge, Amma Kim) led our hymns on guitar. And the “house” was so full, we nearly ran out of communion elements!
We’ll continue meeting in the tents for the next five weeks, where our alternate setup allows us to keep things simple and flexible. Last Sunday, we introduced our prayer jar, which will give us the opportunity to gather our written prayers (anonymously) over the course of the summer. Then, on our last week outside, I’ll weave them into a spoken prayer we raise together.
Our summer worship format will also allow us to interweave our own life stories, as we take a break from the lectionary and draw from a series entitled, “I’ve been meaning to ask…”. This series was created during the last election cycle (2020), a time amidst pandemic where we found ourselves especially divided, disconnected, and in need of hope. While, thanks be, our daily circumstances have changed since then, we still have much ground to cover when it comes to finding our way back to each other and to a world that is thriving and flourishing. The first four weeks of the series each center around a question that scripture, sermon, and our own discussion time will allow us to explore. (You can view a bulletin outline with weekly scriptures and questions on the second page.) Then, on week 5, we’ll join in a special service of conversation and communion, tying together our experiences and our hopes.
Have any questions you’ve been meaning to ask? My office hours at Jericho Ale and Bean continue throughout the summer on Thursdays at 11 unless otherwise noted here. I’ve also got a more flexible schedule during the summer, so if you’d like to schedule a visit, a walk, or a coffee, let me know!
I look forward to connecting with you in and beyond this worship series,
Pastor Jen