Not all our High School graduates could be present last Sunday, but we celebrated for them all!  These six each told us about the most memorable experience they had had in the church, and we were all touched by their stories.  God Speed to all of our grads!

I may love my laptop, but for lots of young adults, it is all about the phone — the cell phone, that is.  Since we were honoring our high school seniors today, I decided to try to speak their language — the text message!

Baccalaureate Sunday

Psalm 131    Matthew 6:24-34 

Text Messages

Those of you who have been watching the website over the last few weeks have no doubt figured out that I have become very interested and engaged in that form of electronic communication. In fact I went to a continuing education event at the end of April that was designed to introduce pastors to the way the Internet and other electronic media are being used by young people – and how the church can use those media to be part of their world.

One of the things I learned at that seminar was that for teenagers, it is all about the phone. Among those with the financial means, the laptop or home computer is just for homework; everything else is on the phone: calls, text messages, surfing the Internet, reading e-mail – all on the phone. Presumably if I really wanted these seniors to pay attention to my sermon, I wouldn’t preach it, I would text it.

Continue…

Imagine a place where everybody counts. Where all kids look out for little ones, and little ones make faces at wee ones. And everybody laughs out loud.

A place where the sunrise tastes like strawberry ice cream; the sunsets glow like the face of a contented grandparent; where the breeze travels over the glistening lake….. And whispers your name.

Such a place exists and it’s named Pilgrim Point Camp. Where is it? Just far enough away…yet within reach….Alexandria, Minnesota. More than a destination, it’s a mind set; a spiritual oasis attended annually by many youth and adults. All shapes, sizes, ages and numbers are welcome.

Pilgrim Point Camp is a place where bonds are strengthened; where strangers discover their similarities; where goodness is given and where crickets and frogs sing a cappella ‘til dawn. It’s a place where campfires crackle, stories are retold and fowl language is for the birds.

It is also a state of “being.” Where now-ness replaces practicality; where a dinner bell replaces watches and clocks; where imagination is stronger than fact; and where God is as close as your breath.

This beautiful lakeside destination offers the traveler a place to cleanse their soul. An open air sanctuary invites quiet, while offering a chance to reflect, recharge, rekindle, reawaken. It’s as if the trees seem to say, “Whatever was troubling you will just have to wait.”

It’s a place where piggyback rides are the preferred mode of transportation and shooting stars and lightening bugs point to the heavens. A place that makes your heart sing and toes tingle. A place where God is found in moments of kindness and love…. And conversations can be had without speaking a word.

As you wander toward the place for which the camp is named a hand painted sign greets you, “all who enter here do so in silence for this is sacred space.” And indeed it is.

John R. Beard

Pilgrim Point Camp — Think about it for your Family this summer. Click HERE for more information.

Our April 13th service was energized by the Confirmation Class African Drum Choir.  Bob Gregory-Bjorklund and Kathy Kanazawa taught the group some basic rhythms, and they played to accompany our opening and closing hymns.

We also enjoyed our Spirit Voices Choir.  Along with leading the opening and closing hymns (with the drums), they sang “The Canticle of the Turning,” based on a traditional Irish tune.  It was an international day for music at First UCC!

We had a great morning on April 13, celebrating our 2008 Confirmation group.

These bright and curious youth, mostly 9th graders, have been meeting with their adult leaders on Sunday evenings since October. 

But it hasn’t just been meetings — they have been on retreat (to Camp Omega, near Waterville), visited other churches and places of worship, done service projects, and gotten to know many of the adult members of the church.

Please make it a point to get to know some of these new members of our congregation.  They have a lot to offer us!