“I praise You, for I am awesomely, wondrously made; your work is wonderful, I know it well.”
For folks who heard last Sunday’s sermon: Did you do it? Did you tell someone “You are beautiful! You are awesomely, wondrously made!” Or did you try walking around silently thinking those words at random people?
Just so you know, I do my own homework. After the service I went to Market Basket and I looked at each person thinking “You are beautifully and wonderfully made!” It really does change one’s experience; I see more beauty, I smile a lot more and just feel happier. If you want to take the practice up a level and tell people they are beautiful, check out this video, which Kathy Slade sent me after Sunday’s sermon.
Speaking of beautiful, hasn’t our music been amazing over these last two and a half years? The dynamic duo of John Middleton-Cox and Erin Lane has been such a delight. As I’ve said before, a silver lining of the pandemic was that when we had to shut down our youth and adult choirs, Erin started singing with John in our services. Erin will be finishing her 10th year at North Parish and sadly for us, it will be her last, as her teaching position at Innovation Academy in Tyngsboro will have increased hours in the fall. We wish her much continued joy as she leads the Innovation Academy High School and Middle School choruses, and some of us will no doubt see her around the music programs at North Andover High School.
As John Middleton-Cox’s righthand woman, Erin has been invaluable to the music ministry in ways both seen and unseen, heard and unheard. She has brought so much positivity and can-do attitude to Sunday mornings and the worship team’s weekly planning meetings. Erin will be singing on several more Sundays, her last one being June 5th. This Sunday you won’t want to be late to church as Erin’s daughter Julia will make a return appearance for a Mother’s Day prelude duet with her mom! Let’s soak it up while we can.
This Saturday, I will be leading the memorial for Kevin Reid at 10 am in the sanctuary and an afternoon memorial for the father of Eric Teasdale in Concord, NH. My gratitude to the Worship Committee and Climate Justice Team members who will be leading the Mothers’ Day/Mother Earth’s Day service on Sunday.
Yours, with gratitude for the music,
Rev. Lee
P.S. Is anyone else also feeling extra grateful these days for the Our Whole Lives program for our youth? A shout out to this year’s teachers: Nancy Cottrill, Kerry Anne Kilkelly and Jackie Orent-Nathan!