Time in the Desert

While we were in Arizona for Carl’s funeral, we went to the White Tank Mountains.  At the base of the mountains and right behind the local library there is a short and long hiking trail, through the desert landscape.  As we walked the longer trail, one of the kids pointed out that they could see the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, which is where the super bowl will be played this year.  As I took in the view of the surrounding cities from the base of the White Tank Mountains, I was amazed by how far you could see.   Besides the surrounding cities, you could see the desert landscape for several miles.  It was very open.  The tallest plants around were the tall cactus, no large trees like we have in Northern Illinois.  Our view was blocked only by the mountains.  

As I stood in the desert landscape, I found myself missing the tall trees of Northern Illinois.  Even though I was missing the large, tall trees of the Midwest, I found beauty in God’s creation of the desert.  I relished in the beauty of the desert flowers and the variety of cacti.  It is amazing how these plants can live with very little water.  The tall cactus provides homes for birds.  There was one cactus that was super tall, I was amazed by its size (see our family picture).  It was the largest cactus we encountered on our walk.    

I was grateful that we had an afternoon free to spend time walking through God’s beautiful creation.  It was nice to have sunshine and warm enough weather to take a hike.  It was a good mental health break for my family in the midst of a crazy busy long weekend in Arizona.  I give God thanks for creation and for the time to spend outside exploring the desert.  I pray that you all can find the time and place that will bring you peace in the midst of the craziness of life.  We all need a little peace in our lives. 

God’s Peace, Pastor Katrina Steingraeber   

      

The Sound of Worship

What does worship sound like? You might say it sounds like the organ, or the praise band. Maybe it’s the way all our voices mix together when we sing and pray together. Worship sounds like the lone voices of our pastors and readers, but also the ambient rustling of bulletins and dozens of people shifting in their seats. In the last few years, worship has more regularly begun to sound like children.

With Sunday School happening between services, families are able to worship together year-round, and the dynamic of both services has shifted. Quiet moments get cut by a small voice asking for a crayon. Sometimes one of us pastors may get a little competition during the sermon. The acoustics in our sanctuary are one of life’s great mysteries, and so I rarely hear these moments from my chair in the chancel. What I do hear is the comments from folks after the service, which almost always fall into one of two categories. Parents offer apologies, while a second group of worshippers beam and say, “It’s so nice to hear the kids in worship.”

If you are in that second group, I encourage you to let our young families know. Help those parents and grandparents know that there isn’t anything to apologize for. Thank them for being here. It is no small task to bring kids to a service, keep them occupied for an hour, and also try to worship for yourself. It is so much easier just to stay home, but our families choose to be here because we recognize the value in worship. Speaking as a parent myself, we want our children to know from a young age that this is a place where all God’s children belong, no matter how young or old. So please, do not keep those positive comments to yourselves. Share a word of welcome and encouragement when you can.

Of course, there are occasional comments that provide no such benefit, either because they are negative or they can be misinterpreted as such. I know how some sounds can be distracting, whether it’s a child’s voice, a thunderous sneeze, or a ringing phone. Any self-aware person at the center of a moment like that already feels embarrassed. Talking about it in the Fellowship Hall can only add to those feelings. Some who overhear such talk may take it as the final reason to leave and not come back. Let’s instead approach one another with a heart of welcome, and give our fellow worshippers a reason to return again next Sunday.

As with anything, we can have tidy or we can have kid-friendly. If our congregation is to grow and inspire a new generation to feel like they belong at church, the way we worship together will need to be truly welcoming for everyone. We are a community, after all. Everything we do in worship is done together, united by the love and grace of Jesus Christ. In an era where church is one option of many— even for folks who identify as Christians— I pray that we can continue to learn new ways to encourage each other to choose this unique and beautiful community of ours.

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna