In This Edition:

• Summer “Worship Without Walls” Begins This Sunday

• In Christian Sympathy

• Open and Affirming Task Force Survey

• Submit Your Questions for “Think Outside the Churc …

• Attention UCC Knitters

  • Sermon Snippet

  • Holding in Prayer

Summer “Worship Without Walls” Begins This Sunday

We will begin outdoor worship in Bird Park on June 15. Remember to BYOC (bring your own chair); in the event of rain or excessive heat, we will worship together in the Chapel.

During the summer, members of the congregation are invited to sign up to serve as “hosts” for fellowship after worship (usually just a light snack and lemonade). You can sign up in-person or by filling out the online signup.

In Christian Sympathy

As a community of faith, and with a sure and certain hope in the promise of resurrection, we share the news that Fran Scott has passed away. A funeral service will be held at the Congregational Church of Canton on Saturday, June 14 at 11 am. You can read her obituary here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/frances-scott-obituary?id=58573418

Please keep the Scott family in your prayers.

Open and Affirming Task Force Survey

Dear congregants, 

We are looking to collect some information on what you all know to guide us in our next steps in the process via a survey. This is not a test! There are no “correct” answers; the point of the survey is to know both what folks know and don’t know about topics relevant to ONA.

Hard copies are now available at the church, and we will be publishing an online version soon. You can fill out the survey anonymously, or you can include your name. There are 7 questions in total. We estimate that completing this survey will take approximately 8-10 minutes. Thank you very much!

-The ONA Task Force

Submit Your Questions for “Think Outside the Church”

Do you have a favorite Bible story you’d like to hear preached in a sermon? Perhaps you have a nagging question that you’ve always hoped to hear addressed in church, but haven’t? Now’s your chance to ask! Submit your question or sermon topic idea by clicking here.

(Questions/topics from children and youth are especially encouraged!)

THANKS! — Pastor Shepherd

Attention UCC Knitters

The Deacons are sad and happy to report that our supply of handmade prayer shawls is almost depleted. Sad because there were so many people who needed one and happy that we could offer the comfort of knowing there are people praying for them.  They were all gratefully received.

BUT, we would love to have a few more.  If you can use up some of that leftover yarn making one or two this summer, we would truly appreciate it.

Your Deacons

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Sermon Snippet

The Sunday after Pentecost is called “Trinity Sunday,” in which this often-confusing, esoteric church doctrine takes center stage. To kick off this summer’s sermon series, Margie helpfully asked, “I have in my mind that the idea/doctrine of the Trinity came a little later in the early Church and caused a little bit of a ruckus. Could you talk about that a little?” This Sunday, I’m looking forward to sharing a Word in answer to the question, “Why does the idea of the Trinity cause such a ruckus?”

Holding in Prayer

This week, as a community of faith we pray:

• with thanks, for our guest soloist Dana Varga

• for traveling mercies as Jim visits his mom in Oregon

• for Pam’s friend Cookie, as she battles cancer

• in remembrance of the coronavirus pandemic

• with thanks for Pat Howes, for providing wonderful care in our nursery all year

• with thanks for our Sunday School teachers.

• with joy, for graduates from the Aggie

• for Travis Felice, as he prepares for a summer job at camp in New Hampshire.

• for Laurie and her family, as they mourn the passing of her uncle Jerry.

• for the Golden Family, as they mourn the unexpected death of Joey’s brother Brian and his mother Sophie.

• with joy, for successful radiation treatments for Margie’s sister Holly, and for continued healing during her chemotherapy

• with joyful expectation, as Lew and Pat look forward to the birth of their third grandchild, and for Elizabeth and Cindy.

• for Rachel Traughber, as she undergoes chemotherapy

• for Shirley’s niece Karen, as she undergoes treatment for pancreatic cancer

• for healing for Lew’s brother Richard, and his wife Paula.