New Words for Summer
While summer is officially still a few weeks off, this weekend is going to feel like summer all around Chicagoland. As we move into a new season of outdoor worship, I’ve included some significant words and turns-of-phrase connected to what lies ahead.
- Baptistry — a receptacle or portion of a church used for baptism by total immersion.
One of the greatest things about being a pastor is having a front-row seat to so many baptisms in Jesus’s name. At Elmhurst CRC, we generally use a greater amount of water in proportion to the age of the people being baptized. A small amount of water for babies. Full immersion for young adults and grownups. This Sunday, four of our young people will be immersed in our outdoor baptistry at our Sunday morning worship service. This promises to be a life-changing day for them and an awesome experience for the whole church.
- Out-of-doorship — A portmanteau* of “out of doors” and “worship.”
I confess, I made this phrase up. I love that we’ll be able to worship outdoors for the next few months. This will allow more people than ever to return to live worship. With no masks necessary outside, we’ll be able to sing, speak words of Scripture, and pray out loud together in ways that we haven’t in over a year. I can’t wait!
- Day of Giving — A first-ever Elmhurst CRC experience on Tuesday, June 8. While we haven’t taken a public offering worship in over a year, our community has continued to be exceedingly generous all along the way. Gifts made on this special day will be tithed (10%) to build a Christian school in partnership with Nurmay Missions in Kenya. Generous giving will also allow us to enter the fall on solid spiritual and financial footing — with grateful hearts and no big deficits — so that we can boldly pursue the Spirit’s leading with everything open.
- GPS — An acronym to spiritually find our way: gifts, passions, and stories.
After the most confusing and discombobulated year ever, I believe the Holy Spirit’s agenda for many of us is to rediscover our footing along God’s path. Life and service in the Kingdom of Jesus is meant to bring delight primarily and not drudgery. When our spiritual gifts, the passions of our heart, and our life experiences (aka stories) intersect — that’s where we find the joy of the Lord! This Sunday’s message will be all about the “S” of how God uses our stories and experiences.
- Gatorpray — a portmanteau of “Gatorade” and “Pray” as in, “I was so thirsty during the last song that I needed to Gatorpray ‘til the end of the service to stay hydrated.”
Pardon the slightly irreverent humor; I also made this one up! It’s going to be hot on Sunday, so please bring some liquids, some strong SPF, a hat, and some portable shade if you need it. We’ll supply extra water bottles and have the inside of the church open with the AC running should anyone need to duck indoors for any reason at all.
A great week lies ahead for Elmhurst CRC, by God’s Grace!
Pastor Gregg
*A portmanteau results from blending two words together. For example, “brunch,” from “breakfast” and “lunch.”