At the end of the month of May (Schedule below) we have a baptism.
What follows is a little baptism humor.
After the Baptism of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed
all the way home in the back seat of the car.
His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy
replied, “That Pastor said he wanted us brought up in a Christian
home, but I want to stay with you guys.”
May Sunday Worship and more…
May 3: Communion Sunday
Synthea and I will be on vacation for the next two Sundays.
Pastor Liz Patz will be on call from May 4th – 10th .
May 10: Michelle Palcer and the deacons will lead worship.
Pastor Steve Welker will be on call from May 11th – 17th .
May 17: Pastor Steve Welker will lead worship.
Synthea and I will be back in Huntley May 18, Monday afternoon.
May 24: Celebrating Memorial weekend and Pentecost (the birth of
the New Testament Church). Also, a perfect Sunday for confirmation
graduation. Charlie Moran, Mackenzie & Leah Pickett.
May 31: Baptism of infant (6-month-old) Lillian Jo Wood.
Blessings, Pastor Michael
- Mother’s Day, May 10, 2026
- Ascension of the Lord, May 14, 2026
- Day of Pentecost, May 24, 2026
- Memorial Day, May 25, 2026
- Trinity Sunday, May 31, 2026
An Unusual Answer to a Mother’s Prayer
Linda Jo Peters of Terre Haute, Indiana, felt her “worry button” get pushed when her daughter, Esther, called from college with an unexpected plan. Esther explained she wanted to go camping alone in a park in southern Illinois. She needed quiet time to think and asked her mother for Bible verses to read as she prayed about her future.
Linda knew Esther felt strongly about going, even if it made her uneasy. After the call ended, Linda dropped to her knees and began what she later called “a dialogue with God.” She closed her prayer with a simple surrender: “I guess you want me on my knees that weekend.”
And that is exactly where she stayed.
The morning after Esther’s first night at camp, she called home. She was safe, she said, and no one had come near her tent. All night long, however, a skunk had wandered nearby, circling the campsite.
Later, Linda reflected on the moment with quiet confidence. “There was no way anyone with evil intent would have approached Esther’s tent,” she wrote, “while the power of prayer, in the form of a black-and-white critter, was circling it.”
Grateful for Those Who Gave All
We remember, O Lord, the men and women who have made the supreme sacrifice for our country. Help us never to breathe the air of freedom, claim the right to justice or enjoy the privilege of worship without deep gratitude for those who gave “the last full measure of devotion” for our sake.
May they now know the peace of eternity and the joy of your presence. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Commencing a Lifetime of Learning
What would you tell a young man or woman about to graduate? One of the most common messages commencement speakers share is that graduates are indeed commencing. They are only just beginning to learn.
While they may rightly feel proud of finishing school, a few months in the working world often reveal how much they still do not know.
Christians who love God with their minds understand that truth frees us from ignorance and superstition. They also know that the joy of learning brings deep satisfaction and, in time, wisdom. That wisdom helps us evaluate what we have learned and use it well, so that knowledge becomes a tool for growth and faithful living.
Stirring up a Life with Meaning
When Winston Churchill once dined at a prestigious London restaurant, he tasted his soup and promptly sent it back to the kitchen. “It has no theme,” he complained.
A good soup, he insisted, should have a theme. The same can be said of many things that matter: a good book, a meaningful concert, a memorable film, a powerful sermon, a beautiful work of art.
It is also true of a good life.
Joan of Arc, the French martyr, declared, “God must be served first.” That was her theme. St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that he desired to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 2:2). That was his theme. Again and again, we see that every truly devoted Christian lives with a central, guiding focus — an overriding theme.
That realization invites a personal question: What is ours?
Pastor and psychologist Dr. Curtis Nigh offers this challenge: “If the heart does not have a noble or goodly theme, then it develops an anti-theme.” In other words, if we do not intentionally shape our lives around what is good and holy, something lesser will quietly take its place.
To be a Christian is to embrace a compelling, Christ-centered theme. It shapes our priorities, our decisions, our relationships and our hope. It is not simply an idea we admire — it is the heartbeat of a life lived for God.
The Taste of Our Words
I try to watch the words I say,
And keep them soft and sweet;
For I don’t know from day to day,
Which ones I’ll have to eat.
