As you may know by now, Sunday, May 10 is Mother's Day and the Festival of the Christian Home Sunday. This year's theme for Christian Home family month (May) in the UMC is Families Called to Hope,a very appropriate theme given these tumultuous times.
To celebrate, I've collected pictures of many of you and your families, but I am hoping to get a few more between now and Sunday! Would you give us a quick minute and send a photo to Derek at office@walkerchapel.org? It can be a picture of your family sharing a meal, a Zoom video conference screenshot, a shot of you all out for a walk for some afternoon fun, or whatever you come up with (be creative!). It only takes a second! Our hope is to receive photos from all the homes worshiping with us at Walker Chapel! Even if you don't necessarily live in Northern Virginia.
The Lundy home continues to grow with the birth of another great grandson, Michael Carmelo Pluchino, born at Virginia Hospital Center on May 1 to the granddaughter of Walt and the late Mary Ann Lundy, Sara and her husband Mike.
I look forward to being with you again this Sunday at 10:30am on Facebook Live at facebook.com/walkerchapel.org/live, preceded by Sunday's Cool! at 10am (PRINT--children's bulletins: ages 3+, 7+). I challenge each of you to electronically invite someone who might enjoy this time together with the growing Walker Chapel Christian Home. Yes, our foundations have been shaken. And we are physically apart unable to gather together as we struggle to make sense of the suffering of the world. Yet, even as we shake, there is renewed and #NewLife everywhere -- we know that Christ who prayed in darkness while his friends slept, who endured pain and died on the cross, is with us this day.
Blessings,
Pastor Lynne
Every Saturday and Sunday at the Chapel, 1-3pm
Music Ministry Update
For the past several weeks we have been blessed by worship leaders from Walker Chapel to begin our worship service with a Call to worship and a prayer. I am grateful for their leadership and the care with which they prepare to lead. Many thanks to Christiane Roehler who sent in this picture of a behind the scenes look at a liturgist video shoot. Thanks too to Duane and Lia Musser and to Meg and Audrey Ogea.
This week we are combining the voices of our choir and additional singers from all over to put together a composite choir to sing the beautiful hymn God of the Sparrow. The hymn writer, Jaroslav Vajda, was a Lutheran pastor, poet and hymn writer. His texts are often expressive and visual in their language. I hope that you will be inspired to sing along during worship.
God of the Sparrow God of the Whale
God of the swirling stars
How does the creature say Awe
How does the creature say Praise.
May the peace of God be with you,
Dawn Kyser
Director of Spiritual Practices Update
Every Day is *still* Earth Day!
While the official Earth Day may be behind us, Walker Chapel’s Hands of God: Students for Environmental Justice are busy developing new initiatives to raise awareness and help save our planet from environmental destruction! We are looking forward to hearing back from the Church Council about the Close to Home Green Initiatives proposed for Walker Chapel.
Last Sunday, Students met via ZOOM to discuss new ideas. In the works is a plan to print the Earth Day painting created by Lia Musser (below) on t-shirts and on paper as fine art prints. The shirts will read: Heal Our Mother Earth (H.O.M.E.). The plan is to sell these to the congregation and community as a fundraiser for endangered species. We are researching 100% organic cotton shirts, as well as shirts that are 50% cotton & 50% recycled plastic water bottles. Print paper will be from recycled sources. The first round of funds raised is earmarked for Elephants, Orangutans and wildlife injured in the Australian wildfires. In compliance with current physical distancing measures, we are investigating whether to go with an online ordering system, or to take orders and distribute shirts and prints ourselves. We’ll keep you posted as plans unfold!
We are also looking into the possibility of creating a raised bed organic vegetable & herb garden in the Meadow, along the driveway. This will be an intergenerational project with Student leadership from Audrey Ogea in collaboration with other Students, as well as participation by avid organic gardeners from the congregation. Audrey’s research into food waste issues and composting practices will support our plans to use Walker Chapel’s kitchen compost in the new garden! More to come!
On an activist note, Erin Kilkenny raised awareness within the Student group about a petition she has signed urging insurance companies to stop backing the tar sand mines and oil pipelines being built across the US, including through indigenous Native American land. This is an issue Erin is studying at school in her Environmental Studies curriculum. For more information or to sign the petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-the-petition-liberty-mutual-must-stop-insuring-tar-sands/
If you have ideas or resources to share, please contact Sandra Kammann, Director of Spiritual Practices & Students for Environmental Justice Liaison. skammann@aol.com or 301-758-5606
There are 3 ways to financially support the Chapel's ministry.
Snail mail your tithe and offerings to 4102 North Glebe Rd.; Arlington, VA 22207
