'2023' Tagged Posts

'2023' Tagged Posts

Summer News

First Church Family: Summer is upon us! The Old Farmer’s Almanac guided both sets of my grandparents in many ways, including providing dates for planting their spring and summer gardens. Always would they make their first planting of the year on Good Friday (regardless of the exact date) and never would they set out vegetable plants on what they called: “rotten Saturday” (the day before Easter.) About the summer, the Almanac records: “The beginning of the season depends on whether…

New Year’s Prayer

First Church Friends: Martin Luther offered this New Year’s prayer: “Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am weak in the faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor. I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust You altogether. O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in You. In…