Dear Friends,
On my bookshelf there is a small little book called Uncommon Prayer. That book has been in shelf for nearly 30 years. When we move that little book moves with us. It will probably be with me until the day I die.
If you open the inside cover of the book, you will find an inscription that reads, “For Jeff! Congratulations on your graduation from high school. We will always be praying for you.” And it was signed, “Your friends and family of the First United Methodist Church, Rhinelander, Wisconsin.” That book has never left me. In the years that I wasn’t active with my faith, the prayers of my home church were with me. As I came back to the church, the prayers of my home church were with me. As I got married, started a family, and answered my call, the prayers of my home church were always with me. All these years later, this little book reminds me that when it mattered, my little church in my little hometown was always pulling for me.
This weekend we celebrate an important milestone in the of life our high school students. Seven of our own are entering into the last weeks of their high school career and are preparing for the next big chapter in their life. Today they will stand before us so we can remind them that no matter where life takes them, Royal Oak First is a place they can return, where people will be glad to see them and where our prayers for them have never stopped. Today these young people will lead us in serving communion. Today we hope that, we can do for these young men and women what my little church did for me nearly 30 years ago–give them a blessing they can take with them where life is going to take them!
So for Anna, Ava, Andrew, Dominic, Maddie, Brian, and Natalia we say: Never forget that God loves you, we love you, your family loves you…and there is nothing you can do about it!!!!!
Grace and Peace,
