Good morning church,
I will keep it short today. This is a day that calls for being outside, and I hope you all get the opportunity for walks or rides in the outdoors on what promises to be a very nice day. Thank you for sending me pictures of your mothers. I have received four pictures so far. Of course we will need a lot more… They don’t need to be portrait pictures. It could be a shot with other people in it. We will assemble them and put them together in a picture show for next Sunday, May 10, Mother’s Day. I must say, one of the most memorable Mother’s Day services for me personally was a few years ago when I invited a mother and daughter from our church to talk about their joint journey fighting cancer. Both were diagnosed with an aggressive stage four cancer less than a year apart, which was a major shock and the challenge of a lifetime. Amazingly, both Betty W. and Christine H. recovered, Betty with a number of organs less, removed in order to save her life. Needless to say, the Walters are hyper-careful these days because they would certainly belong to the at-risk population. Yet, Christine and Betty’s story of recovery from this devastating double diagnosis is an inspiration to me still. As are the pictures that Christine posted at the time with the funniest wigs and hairdo’s that she could find to make her family and especially her young boys laugh! It is amazing how sometimes the people who are suffering are the true providers of hope, isn’t it? So, I certainly will ask Christine and Betty to be part of our Mother’s Day picture show, and I will ask Christine to send us one of her most colorful wigs of that time! I spoke to Betty and Dick Walter a while ago, and they are doing well and are getting supplies from other family members.
I mentioned yesterday that we would also like to celebrate our graduates in the month of June. So many of them will be quietly celebrating a milestone in their lives. We would like to help them make this milestone a bit more special. So, our Director of Family Faith Formation is asking all graduates of this year, whether they are completing preschool, elementary, middle school, High school, college or Vocation School to send her the name of the school they are graduating from, with degree if that applies and the name of the school they may attend next. Please send Jenn that information along with a nice graduation picture by May 29. Her email is dfm@stpetersnorthwales.org.
Tomorrow morning we will post our pre-recorded service a little bit earlier, by 9:00 a.m. You will receive the worship materials as always around 8:30 a.m. via email. Please also join us for a virtual church gathering at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow. I’d like to talk to you about some things and receive feedback about possible re-opening scenarios in June, virtual Holy Communion and other things. Find a comfortable spot in your home with a cup of coffee and join us! Here is the zoom invitation. I know some of you are “zoomed out” already because that’s what you are doing all week long in your professional lives, but I hope you can join us. Here is the invitation:
For today, please join me in prayer for Lisa and James M. as they travel to Texas to visit James’ brother Doug who is in the last stage of his illness. It was a difficult decision for them to travel down to Houston during these times. Doug came to Lisa and James’ wedding in 2018 and I remember a tall, lanky guy with a huge cowboy hat and boots and the accent to prove where he was from (I know all about accents, your know!). Unfortunately, his health has been in decline ever since, and now his organs are beginning to shut down. Please let us pray for Lisa and James’ safety and for a special and sacred visit with James’ brother Doug, and that God’s peace and presence may surround them at this time. And James, don’t drive too fast, please!
For all of you:
Enjoy this day, be safe and be well!
Pastor Andreas Wagner