5/20/20 I Hope & Service
Stories of Hope
Last week we hosted a blood drive in the Activities Center parlor and it was a great success- 33 people were able to donate blood for a total of 34 units collected and a potential 102 lives that can be saved with those donations! 11 new donors participated, and we are proud to be a part of this life saving and life changing effort.
Today, we find hope in this blessing from Jan Richardson's book Circle of Grace, titled "Stay"
I know how your mind
rushes ahead
trying to fathom
what could follow this.
What will you do,
where will you go,
how will you live?
You will want
to outrun the grief.
You will want
to keep turning toward
the horizon,
watching for what was lost
to come back,
to return to you
and never leave again.
For now,
hear me when I say
all you need to do
is to still yourself,
is to turn toward one another,
is to stay.
Wait
and see what comes
to fill
the gaping hole
in your chest.
Wait with your hands open
to receive what could never come
except to what is empty
and hollow.
You cannot know it now,
cannot even imagine
what lies ahead,
but I tell you
the day is coming
when breath will
fill your lungs
as it never has before,
and with your own ears
you will hear words
coming to you new
and startling.
You will dream dreams
and you will see the world
ablaze with blessing.
Wait for it.
Still yourself.
Stay.
Ways to Serve:
-Serve by helping with our online worship service! Options include reading scripture, saying the Apostles’ Creed, saying part of the Apostles’ Creed, or joining fun singing projects (lip syncing definitely allowed and welcome!) Please contact Nicole Marane at nmarane@ssumc.org
-Support our upcoming week of Family Promise by purchasing supplies through their Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1HRN6HR3Q77OY/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist#
-Sign up to help with the food pantry located at Samad Grill here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d44aaab22abf85-feed
-Sign up to help with the food pantry located at Under the Cork Tree here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0c45a8ac29a6fb6-popuppantries