FROM THE MAY EDITION OF THE WHITEWATER FRIEND
Contributed by Doug Gwyn - Pastor

Come Forward!

First Friends is blessed with being a joyful fellowship and a spiritual body. There is great warmth and comraderie when we come together, especially on Sunday mornings. We are glad to be reunited with one another. We also move into reunion with God in the Spirit, as we move through our stages of worship and into the silence of Open Worship. Then comes the Benediction and back into fellowship again! It's a wonderful cycle to experience with you every Sunday. I have never before participated in such a joyful group of Friends.

Still, making those transitions together each Sunday -- particularly Sundays when we have 100 or more attending -- is not always easy. We (including myself sometimes) tend to come into the Meeting Room at the last minute, after visiting in the Lobby or Boruk Hall. Often, the back seats are already taken, and it takes longer to come forward and get settled, just as the meeting is trying to mve into a worshipful quiet. In particular, new visitors may feel uncomfortable having to sit so far forward during their first time here.

So please try to come in a little early, when Lisa starts playing the Prelude at 9:25. And if you can be comfortable doing so, please take seats further forward. (I won't bite!) It's not easy making the transition from saying hellos to gathering into worship. But Lisa plays Prelude music aimed to lead us into worship. We honor her ministry as we listen and let her set the tone for worship. So please come forward! -- early! -- and often!

May 29 -- Another Fifth Sunday Worship Experience!

Our last fifth Sunday worship was at the end of January, when Lisa Ginn led us in a wonderful meeting focused on favorite hymns. May 29 will follow that format with a meeting for worship led by Ted and Betty Lou Riley. This time, we are invited to come to worship with a favorite Scripture passage or other spiritual reading. Passages probably needs to be fairly short (to allow more of us to share), and please tell us briefly something of what that text has meant to in your life. There will be no prepared message that Sunday, so there will be more 'open worship' time in which we can share these experiences and passages. (Those who will be at Family Camp at Quaker Haven that Sunday will follow a similar format as they worship during the same hour.)