Elim Extra for July 9, 2023

A Place for Faith: Crossroads
“Crossroads” may have an ominous sound to it, like when you’re making a big decision. But really it’s a place of meeting, and this Sunday we will hear in our Scripture about a joyful meeting indeed – a betrothal. Finally, a happy story in Genesis! A love story, no less, where all goes according to plan, and everything works out with minimal drama and fuss. It reminds me of a beautiful poem by the Welsh poet Sheenagh Pugh called “Sometimes.”
Sometimes things don’t go, after all,
from bad to worse. Some years, muscadel
faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don’t fail;
sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.
A people sometimes will step back from war;
elect an honest man, decide they care
enough, that they can’t leave some stranger poor.
Some men become what they were born for.
Sometimes our best efforts do not go
amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you.
May you “put yourself out there” at the crossroads, and find joy in new relationships and delightful connections.
love, Pastor Chelsea
Church Becoming meets this Sunday, July 9th after worship.
Prayer requests: Please pray for the relatives of Matt Johnson; for Sheri and Roger Beeman; and for a friend who lost her great-granddaughter. God in your mercy, hear our prayer.