Good morning,
It’s a pretty safe bet that this will be a challenging winter. Winters in Iowa can be challenging even in “normal” times, and these are not normal times.
I have been thinking about bears. Bears face harsh winters, and
they hibernate. According to the National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/articles/
They build a den in a hollow tree or under a mass of tree roots or in a rock crevice. When they go into hibernation, their body temperature, pulse rate, and respiration drop. They rely on the energy they have stored to sustain them through the winter. Pregnant bears give birth early during hibernation and the mother bear nurses and cuddles with her cubs until spring. Their bodies do what is necessary to survive.
They find a safe warm place. They slow down. They rest. They sleep assured that spring will come. They trust in something bigger than themselves to sustain them.
Is that the lesson of this peculiar winter? Letting go. Slowing down. Resting. Trusting in something bigger than us? Sounds sort of peaceful, doesn’t it? What the world might need right now?
I think that our best hope for this winter is to continually look to God, to trust in God, and to know always that God is bigger than us. That is our best hope in any season.
God made bears. And God made us.
Let me know how the winter ahead looks to you. And if you have a good bear story, I would like to hear it.
Blessings,
Pastor Cindy
Pastor Cindy Hickman
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Ave
West Des Moines Iowa, 50265
515-279-0826
Like us on Facebook or visit us at wdmumc.org.
And join us for on-line worship on Sunday morning at 9:30 and posted all week long on our webpage.
This week at WDMUMC
Bar+Church is back in person at Lua Brewing at 1 pm. Masks required. Pastor Trevor will be there.
Bread! October 4 is World Communion Sunday. Jesus said he was the Bread of Life and through his life, we receive life. We want to celebrate by sharing bread. We will be delivering bread to church friends, and we invite you to join in the celebration. Are you a baker? Think about who you might make a loaf of bread for. You will be receiving a prayer and a recipe in the mail. Our young families will be receiving a packet of yeast so that you can share the fun of making yeast bread with your children. What if the whole world filled with the smell of fresh bread? Find your way to celebrate World Communion Sunday! Enjoy!
Church Council meets Monday, September 28. They are disciple leaders and they will again be determining how to live faithfully in this time of the pandemic. They will be making decisions for our church. Pray for our leaders and thank them for their service.
Monday Morning Bell Ringing Each Monday at 10:30 we ring the bell in honor of Iowans who have died due to COVID during the previous week. Last week the bell tolled 48 times. Pray for the families who grieve and for wise action to address the pandemic. You are welcome to come and witness the bell ringing or you can watch online.
Open Sanctuary Every Monday evening the sanctuary is open from 6-8 for a quiet time of prayer. One of the pastors is available to talk with. Please use the front doors near the bell.
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