This year Pentecost comes after our first ever Season of Creation. This year for this birthday of the Church, we will not only remember how God’s Holy Spirit fills and empowers our faith community, but also how it is active in the larger world around us. One point of unity for people across difference is our dependence on that spirit for life. How can the Spirit transform us and fuel us in these days as individual believers and as a human community?

Today’s service will also include our annual ordination of new Elders and Deacons. This is always incredibly moving in our little church because part of this liturgy is the laying on of hands by all those who have previously served in these roles, and it usually involves at least 3/4 of the church! We truly would not be who we are without each one of you and your gifts and your work together.

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It is no accident that many of the most spiritually significant moments in Christianity AND other religions take place on mountaintops. Among the wonders of creation, mountain have a unique ability to spark awe and wonder; to quiet everything else that distracts and remind us of our own small, humble place in this grand and beautiful world. This final week of our Season of Creation, we will consider how God uses “mountaintop moments” in our lives, and what role mountains might play in God’s dreams for renewal of all creation. Our hope is not just in pearly gates and heavenly realms, but also in what God can do with this world; God’s ongoing creation and masterpiece.

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Today in church, you will have the opportunity to hear from our frequent Pulpit Supply friend, Rev. Dottie LaPenta. We continue on in our Season of Creation and today’s theme is Sky Sunday. We consider what we learn about God from what we find in the sky: particular sunrises and beginnings and sunsets and endings.

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This morning we come to week two of this year’s cycle of the Season of Creation (traditionally celebrated in the Fall but which we are celebrating in Spring). This week is called Humanity Sunday, where we reflect on how God made us and what we are made for. What is the purpose of human life? What does it mean that God gave us “dominion” over other created things? If we are rulers over Creation in God’s image, what should our rule look like? Perhaps we have clues in the selfless, servant leadership of Jesus.

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ALSO this week we will celebrate our first ever Anchors-A-Wee Mission Sunday (35 years old this year!) where we say a special prayer for the teachers, families and students who have all been a part of this vital mission in our community.

The Mission of Anchors-A-Wee Preschool is to provide a nurturing, stimulating, and creative learning environment for young children. All care is provided in a Christian based setting, where love and respect for self and one another are emphasized. Our goal is to provide a developmentally appropriate preschool that helps children develop their minds and bodies in a safe and healthy place. The education that Anchors-A-Wee provides is tailored to the unique age and development of the individual child.

Today is a much anticipated day every year where all of our worship is centered on creation care as well as exciting initiatives by our COA Green Team. We are proud to say that in its fourth year, our church’s Green Team is as strong, engaged and active as ever! Because they directly address the effects of climate change, they are able to form community partnerships with so many others beyond our faith who care about this crisis in our world: people from Broadneck High School students to Girl Scouts to Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake. This group is responsible for saving over 100 trees on our church property from invasive vines as well as using our property in fun and sustainable ways that help others to enjoy their time in God’s beautiful creation. In previous years they unveiled our Discovery Trail, and this year they are adding  to it a special Grandparents’ Garden. We are so proud of all that this team is doing to help our church be more faithful stewards of this world.

In worship today we will be entering into our first ever Season of Creation. For the next month, we will follow a special cycle of a three year lectionary used worldwide by many other denominations to highlight God’s role as Creator and what that means for our hope and redemption as people of faith. JOIN US IN THIS LABOR OF LOVE!

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