Dear Friends, 
I think most of us here in Maine feel like we are sloshing our way from a very wet June, and are indeed, praying for a sun-filled July. June had few sunny days - instead, a ‘variation on the theme of wet’ might be a good description for it: rain-mist-fog.
I look out my windows and I see many shades of green. I call out “Grace!” and my beautiful blond golden retriever comes in with black muddy paws and my plain white kitchen floor suddenly looks like a garden of black blooms.
After such a June rain is on many minds and so, a few rain thoughts:
“Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain” (author unknown)
“Rain” by Robert Louis Stevenson
The rain is raining all around
It falls on field and tree
It rains on umbrellas here,
And on the ships at sea.
And just a bit of e.e. cummings:
“In Just
spring when the world is
mud luscious . . . .
and puddle wonderful”
‘Puddle wonderful’ June has certainly been filled with new ways to dance with the Divine. At the Annual Conference of the Northern New England United Methodist Church worship was a time for wonderful music and yes, dancing! – both liturgical planned holy moves and spontaneous leaping up and gliding to the hymns from front row seats to balcony: children, youth, young adults, boomers and older let their bodies flow — rhythmic waves joyously filled with the Holy Spirit.
At Ellsworth United Methodist we honor all seasons of hymns from the very old to the most recent. Our worship music is as blended as our ages. We believe music to fit all “shoe” sizes is in keeping with the desire of John Wesley.
As summer continues so does our new Monday night GPYes! (God’s Power, Yes!) services. We sing and examine the words of the hymns. We hear their stories and we tell our own. If you have not visited us at 6:30 on a Monday night yet, I do hope you will. Here is a time to be in fellowship, to sing, and pray — offering our hearts to God, asking to be filled with God’s great love light, and then, in our “church family” support, we go out, in partnership, as missionaries to our small towns living the Word as instruments of God.
Fire works, sparklers may fill the sky during summer celebrations — but if fire displays are rained out know that fire works and sparklers can still burst and glow inside of hearts that know God is Love.
Happy July!
Yours,
Pastor Susan Yaruta-Young
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