Over the past year, nature has become a safe haven for me. Going for a hike at Black River State Forest or Wildcat State Park. Jumping on our bikes and taking a ride on the trails. Taking our camper for an overnight in a state park. In nature I have felt comfortable taking off my mask, letting down my guard and enjoying some time that feels normal with my family.

At the same time, with all that is going on in the world, I don’t know that I’ve really considered how I cared for nature this past year. I have been much more focused on what it gives me rather than what I can give back. And so, I’m grateful for the opportunity to worship this Sunday with a focus on creation. Perhaps it will give all of us a moment to refocus on God’s creation and consider the ways we might bring restoration to all God has created.

In a time when there seems to be so much out of our control, perhaps we can focus on the small ways we can bring healing to our earth. So I hope you’ll consider this next week one small thing you might do to care for creation. Consider how you might reduce your environmental footprint. Check out an online footprint calculator to see your impact. Type in “footprint calculator” and you’ll find 19,100,000 results on google. Try out one of the calculators. Perhaps it will inspire an idea for how you might care for creation in the coming year.

I hope you join me for worship this Sunday & Happy Earth Day!

Pastor Dawn

Can you believe it? This will be our 12^th GWOH (God’s Work. Our Hands.) Sunday at Peace in 7 years! Although this past year has brought some changes to GWOH Sunday, on May 2 we will be bringing back our fellowship (a.k.a. FOOD!). 

So, what do you need to do? Check out the GWOH Sunday information on the Events tab. Also check out the other opportunities we’ll have on that day including our Noisy Offering for World Hunger, food collection for our Little Pantry and Families First collection of laundry and feminine products. Feel free to drop those items off at church anytime.   

And then come for a day of worship, service, and a sack lunch back at Peace. It’s going to be a great day to gather as we serve our community! 

In service and love,

Pastor Dawn

With the change in weather, we’ve been blessed to gather in person once again! Although I will admit, Palm Sunday was less than ideal weather. However, Easter was glorious! We are making plans to continue with outdoor worship on the first and third Sundays of the month, so please mark your calendars. And stay tuned as more information will be available after our council meeting tonight. 

And yet with these changes, there are quite a few unknowns. Now that COVID-19 variants are moving closer and closer to us, we cannot know how this will affect the COVID rates in our area. At the same time, more and more people are getting vaccinated. Hooray! (Please consider getting scheduled for your vaccination if you have not done so. Anyone 16 and up is now eligible.) And yet, the weather is always going to be a wild card.  

Just as you have been flexible over the past year, I ask for your grace as changes need to be made over the next few months to adjust to these unknown factors. Due to weather or significant increases in the COVID rate, worship might need to go online again for a week or longer. So please stay connected to our website and Facebook page for the latest information. 

It is everyone’s desire to gather again. However, our council is doing everything we can to make sure that when we gather it is as safely as possible. Thank you for your patience this past year and we look forward to seeing you in worship…outdoor or online…and hopefully before we know it, in our sanctuary!  

Blessings,

Pastor Dawn

It’s Holy Week. A week to reflect and wonder. A week to listen and be still. A week to worship and pray.

This all sounds lovely and yet, in my household, life is just starting to ramp-up again. I’m starting to feel a sense of busyness that I haven’t felt in over a year. Just this week, soccer practice and track practice began. Between picking up and dropping off kids, we managed to record our Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services. Plans are being made for a summer mission trip and Bible camp. And I’ve been busy scouting out campsites for a few weekend trips. Is it possible that life could be moving back to “normal?” Whatever that really means?!?

And then as we looked at our schedule for this week, we were reminded that we still need to stop and worship and reflect. Perhaps soccer practice just isn’t going to happen today.

In the midst of whatever busyness you might be feeling, I hope that you will take some time to be still and worship. To listen and reflect. Share a special meal with your family and then join us for our online Maundy Thursday communion service and Good Friday online service at 6:30 pm. Come and walk the Path of Jesus outside Peace anytime through Easter. Or, crack open your Bible and read the passion story found in the last few chapters of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Carve out some time this week to dwell in this story.

And then, join us on Easter morning as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Let us roll the stone away and proclaim the promise of life.

Blessed Holy Week and Happy Easter to you,

Pastor Dawn

The Hope of Jesus

Within the last few days, we have been reminded of the fragility of life as we hear about shootings in Atlanta, Boulder, and even as close as Wilton. Life was lost in Atlanta and Boulder and the brokenness of our world continues. Hate crimes, domestic terrorism, domestic violence, and abuse. They are taking a toll on our communities. And we are left not knowing how to recover from the violence of this world.

Jesus was living in a world not so different from our reality today. Violence and death seemed to be the norm while people often stood by and watched it happen. And yet, Jesus was unrelenting in his stance. There is another way. A way of love and compassion and peace. A way of hope and mercy and grace.

During Holy Week, we experience the extremes of our world. We watch as an innocent man is put to death and then we see that same man resurrected to new life. Violence and love. Again and again this story reminds us that in Christ there is a new way of being. It is the way of love. And so as people die in our streets, may we be voices of love. May we stand up and not stand by. May we be like Jesus…beacons of new life in a world too often filled with hatred and violence.  This is the hope of Easter. This is the hope of Jesus.

Your sister in Christ,

Pastor Dawn