Busy Summer Update
Right after Easter, I started saying to the staff, "When the summer arrives, things will slow down, and we can all get some rest!" We adjusted schedules, decided on lighter agendas, and started booking vacation time. It is now closing in on the end of July, and I find myself asking, "How come things have not really slowed down?" Yes, worship attendance is much lighter, we have Wednesday night worship every other week and less Bible studies, but honestly, this church is still pretty busy and active!
This is a good problem to have. They say that you can tell when a church is vital and healthy by the activity within its walls during the week. Well, we have quite a bit of activity around here. We have meals and meetings and outside groups using our facility. We have had an amazing Vacation Bible School and an outstanding Teen Karaoke Night in the last 30 days. And our bunk rooms have been occupied more weeks than not so far this summer.
Do you know about our bunk rooms? Upstairs in our Education (middle) Building we have four rooms around a big central room that have bunk beds and regular beds for about 20 people to stay. In the central room, there are couches, tables, microwaves and a small refrigerator. There is one full bathroom (soon to be two). The trustees have worked tirelessly to renovate, remodel and expand these facilities over the last year. Jerry Peschke and Dr. George Lindner are still working (almost every day) to get the new bathroom ready. We cannot thank them enough!
Last year we made a commitment to this becoming a ministry of our church. We have sent information out across the Florida Conference of the UMC and invited folks to use our bunk rooms (we suggest they make a donation) and created a system to make this happen. Many groups come here to do service projects with local organizations like Habitat for Humanity, SOS and Inez Martin Preschool as well as help with projects around the church. They also explore our unique community and always enjoy one meal with us that Ralphie Segar and Nick Smith generously provide. We have had groups from across the country this year, including an international women's flag football league! In the past month we have hosted youth groups from Suntree UMC in Melbourne, FL, First UMC of Jupiter, FL, and this week we have St Peter's UMC of Wellington FL.
This ministry is a blessing in so many ways. We get to meet new people and create relationships with friends from across Florida (and the world). We are able to offer a comfortable place to stay in a very expensive tourist area, where many people would not be able to visit otherwise, and our visitors give back to our community through their service projects. It's a definite win-win for everyone!
I hope you will take the time to go upstairs in the Education building some Sunday after church and take a look at this amazing space that welcomes countless travelers and blesses many people! This is just one of the ways that we truly are a "loving church where all are welcome" as we...
Love Boldly
Serve Joyfully and...
Lead Courageously
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)
Grace and Peace
-Pastor Madeline
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