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Daily Lectionary Readings for Year B Exodus 19:7-25 Awe. Reverence. Holy Anticipation. God is approaching. God is near. Consecrate the people. Purify them through water and ritual. Set a boundary for them so that they are safe. God is coming but the people will not be able to see, only feel, God's presence. They will feel it in the trembling earth and in the rumbling thunder. They will watch Moses enter into the cloud and feel a sense of wonder and fear, hope and excitement, knowing that Moses is the one who is receiving for the many. Have you ever felt God's presence? This past Saturday we gathered in the Family Life Center, just a few of us, to celebrate the life of Verlo Tillottson. Verlo is Kathy Carruthers' Pa. He died suddenly, unexpectedly, while clearing the snow from his driveway. We were wearing masks and taking precautions. And it felt God was present. God was there in the prayers and in the sharing. God was there as we walked to the Family Life Center and watched in silence as the Military Honor Guard folded and presented the flag to Ruth. God was there in the sound of the bugle playing Taps. And God was in the beautiful Memorial Garden where we placed Verlo's ashes in the Columbarium. The snow was falling gently. And there was a softness, a gentle love, a holiness to that moment that I will never forget. We didn't see God face to face, but God was there. And we received a peace that passes all understanding. Verlo's ashes were the first to be placed in the Columbarium. Glen Haight and Chuck Dear prepared the space. They shoveled the walkway and worked with the funeral home so that the urn was exactly what was needed. They helped Kathy's family feel the assurance of the promise of Christ. All I can say is that the experience on Saturday, and the interment of ashes, was a high and holy moment. If you have been wondering about whether the Memorial Garden would feel sacred and could be a place of everlasting peace, I felt it to be. I will attach the information about the Memorial Garden, in case you have been thinking of that for your funeral plan options. I am thankful that God's dream came to be, of that thin place where God is so near. This might be a good day to call someone and talk about times you felt God was near. -- Peace, Dean 
5 Comments
4/5/2023 02:55:24 am
Real natural crystals are cool to the touch, don’t scratch easily, contain imperfections, and are usually heavier than fakes. 4/5/2023 02:56:55 am
Natural crystals contain metals and other inclusions from their formation in the earth that weigh them down, whereas fakes might be mostly glass. In some cases, a real crystal might weigh the same as a fake that’s twice the size. 12/5/2023 09:29:43 pm
I've often thought about how God's presence might feel. The description of the trembling earth and rumbling thunder creates a vivid image of the power and majesty of God. It's as if nature itself is responding to His arrival. 12/7/2023 11:33:07 pm
The way you described the snow falling gently and the softness of the moment in the Memorial Garden really captures the essence of a divine presence. It's moments like these that remind us of the peace and comfort that faith can bring, even in times of loss. Thank you for sharing this touching experience. 1/23/2024 10:59:40 am
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REv. Dean N. PrentissI am blessed to be the Pastor at Wesley Park UMC. Find Daily Lectionary Readings Here. Archives
February 2021
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