Erwin has little folding chairs original to the church, so they are 126 years old and still supporting the congregation! They are made of dark wood, and include a hat holder under each seat - two wires that hold the brim of the hat. The stained glass windows are all dedicated in memory of different folks and two beautiful quilts hang in on the back wall. Marilyn Jones gave me a tour of the church and told me more about it's history. She also showed me the two banners that were donated to the church by Rev. Emily who was the South Dakota Intern in 2003. Rev. Marjie painted a picture of the Erwin church on one of the banners and it hangs behind the altar. Both are beautiful banners made for Rev. Emily to celebrate her Ordination.
Bryant is also a sweet little church. The benches here are well padded and set on a bit of a slant. There are several banners on the altar wall that represent the many farm animals the church has donated through Heifer Project International. Above the lovely light-brown wood altar is a lighted cross that helps to give the sanctuary a warm, inviting glow. The stained glass windows here are also very distinctive and just gorgeous. One of my favorite windows shows a loaf of bread, a chalice, a bunch of grapes and stocks of grain, and behind them is a big red barn. This reminds me of the Big Red Barn Rev. Marjie and Ray have remodeled to be their home and makes me think of how the wonderful talks I have had with Rev. Marjie have served as Communion for my soul.
The challenge this week was the opportunity to lead worship... twice! Erwin at 9:00a and Bryant at 10:30a. Rev. Marjie helped me adapt their regular services and plug in some good hymns. Another thing that helped a lot was sitting around one of the big tables in the church here at the retreat with Rev. Marjie and Rev. Emily and talking about the scripture for Sunday. It was Matthew 13, basically the parable of the sower of the Word and the different types of soil those seeds encounter. It's really a wonderful experience to sit with these two wonderful women, one with over 40 years experience, and discuss the various insights we find. When it came time for worship on Sunday I felt pretty prepared. I did learn a lot through that experience... the main lesson being that I have a LOT to learn about creating and leading worship! Good thing I have 2 more years of seminary! I am grateful to Rev. Marjie for giving me that opportunity and for her gentle nudges and glances during service that helped me stay on track!
I also had the opportunity to visit several folks from each congregation during the week. At Dorothy's house, several of the women came together to tie a quilt. I knit and crochet, but this is the first time I've been involved with a quilt. It is fun work and a great opportunity for conversation. Marilyn and her husband Dale hosted me for a lunch and she showed me around "the museum" which is her house. That lady loves books more than I do! What a great collection, and a beautiful home with so many wonderful mementos from trips and the lives of her family. During our Sunday service in Erwin, Marilyn's grandsons Matthew and Calvin shared some stories from camp at Placerville. This is a summer Christian youth camp which is a wonderful adventure for the youth of this conference. I hope the support for that retreat continues for many years to come.At the close of this week, Rev. Marjie took another photo of the Prairie Retreat Post Office - the mailbox on their road and the corn field behind it. I went out and stood in the corn so we can see how it grows - and, as Rev. Marjie put it - so I could be outstanding in my field! (ha ha) Ray and I pulled some weeds today and I enjoyed the smell and feel of good earth. I'll do my wash today, pack up the car tonight, and tomorrow I'm off for Redfield and Tulare! It's being a grand summer!
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