Musings Along Lifes Way: Vacation

As I write this I am getting ready to take a few days off for vacation.
Vacation is a wonderful opportunity to empty the mind of the worries that occur to us from day to day and to open to the beauty that is all around us, from moment to moment. It is an opportunity to open our eyes and to see. Last Sunday at the early service we sang a hymn about opening our eyes. Here is the first verse and the refrain:

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Refrain

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

What is the wonderful key that unclasps us and sets us free? It is openness to the grace and love of God coming to us each moment of each and every day. So, in the next weeks, I am hoping to open my eyes to the wonders and glories of God alive in the world. While I am gone exciting things will be happening here at First Congregational UCC.
* First, Seth and Rebecca Clayton, along with Nancy Turner will be leading our worship this coming Sunday, July 10. The focus of both services will be "No Worries," and it will be based on Jesus' meditation on time and eternity as he speaks of the "Lilies and the Birds." The passage begins at Matthew 6:25.
* Then, on the 15th Lizann Bassham will be "in the House" for both worship services. Come to church and hold on! A great time is guaranteed for all.

I will hold you all in my heart in my absence. If you have any concerns or needs, call Carmen in the office. I wish I could be here for the services on the 8th and 15th.

Love and Blessings,
David

Meditation Group This Fall

Meditation Practice Group: Centering Prayer,

Jesus Prayer, Sitting Quietly, Taize

But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ~ Matthew 6:6
You are invited! This fall we are forming a Christian practice group that will be informed by the spiritual practices of other traditions such as the Sufi tradition of Islam and the Zen tradition of China and Japan. Participants in this group will follow a spiri-tual practice of their own choosing for a set period of time, coming to church once a week for an hour of silent meditation. Every month the group will participate in a Taize service of Christian chant.

The Organizational Meeting for this group will be on August 22nd at 7:00 pm, in the sanctuary of First Congregational UCC.

We look forward to seeing you there! Please call the church office, 546-0998, letting us know you plan on coming.