Dear Friends,

I’m so glad my desk sits next to a big window that opens onto my garden and the lake beyond. It makes it possible for me to enjoy this gorgeous summer and get my work done at the same time –though I do admit to going out into the garden when my head gets too full of words. Pulling weeds is a great brain cleaner. 

We’ve had fun - a big group went to Door Shakespeare together and many of you came to my tailgate (birthday) party at the movie theater.  I hear of many family celebrations and picnics and welcome visits from friends.  We should never forget, for a minute, how lucky we are to live amidst the these beautiful woods and waters.

There’s always time for reading and I want to recommend two very good books that I enjoyed: Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (named “One of the top ten spiritual books of 2007”) and The Gospel According to the Beatles (which will surprise you.)

We’ve planned a Family Play Day for August 11 on the church grounds and I encourage you all to come - if you have children or if you don’t.  Come picnic and play with us under the warm summer sun.

One more thing: Many people over 50 tell Vance and me that they want to know the young families and the children in our church better.  The young people tell us they want to know the elders better too.  There’s a great opportunity to get acquainted in our new design for Youth Ministry.  We’ve let go of the old Sunday School model and are experimenting with something very interesting that we call Sunday Synergy.  I encourage you to read about it in this newsletter. If you will share your hobby or interest or passion with our kids for one, forty-minute session on Sunday morning you will bless us all. Make the leap!

I’ll let e.e. cummings have my last word:  i thank you god for this most amazing day.  for the leaping greenly of trees and a clear blue dream of sky.  for everything that is natural that is infinite that is yes.