The Hebrew scriptures are filled with moments when people declared places special. Jacob anointed a stone that served as his pillow. Moses set up twelve stones on Mount Sinai to celebrate the covenant God established with Israel. Joshua erected a “great stone” at Shechem to be a witness of the covenant established with the new generation of Israelites. The bible tells us again and again that place matters.
For many members of our church, having a place that is set aside for worship is an important thing. There are the practical reasons, like the fact that schlepping around a keyboard and sound system takes time and energy. There are also the spiritual reasons, like the intention behind a space. There is also the idea that having a consistent place to worship is grounding.
On Sunday Berry worshipped in the sanctuary at the Albany Park Ministry Center for the first time. While the space is in need of some TLC, one of the things that grabbed my attention was the stained-glass window.
This window was designed by Ralph Weber, a member of the Albany Park United Methodist Church when the congregation merged with Berry. Many of you were friends with Ralph and Anna. It interprets the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in beautiful fashion. Although Ralph and Anna Weber both passed away in recent years, I find the fact that he designed this window to be grounding.
We return to the sanctuary this Sunday at 9:30am. As we experiment with a new time and space, I ask you to approach worship with flexibility. It is in a space of openness that God’s creativity draws us in. I hope that you are able to join with us as we celebrate Holy Communion together.
Peace,
Matthew