by Stacey Hilliard | Oct 17, 2021 | Sermons
Back when I thought we would be in the building by now, I had a bunch of different plans for this week. God laughed at my plans, and so now our anniversary is being spread out across a number of Sundays and in a variety of forms, from retired pastors returning to preach, to our October 31 service in Wildwood Cemetery, to a celebration dinner that will happen before the end of the year where we can formally recognize our 50-year members and more.
This Sunday, we will recognize our 150th anniversary in worship by considering how God may be calling us to take the sacred parts of Crawford’s past into a future that is still unfolding. We will hear from three Crawford members about their own sense of call to their work. We’ll hear from the choir. Toward the end of the service there will be an opportunity to go into the sanctuary for a time of prayer and discernment, and at coffee hour we’ll have a fabulous anniversary cake with ice cream sundaes.
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by Stacey Hilliard | Oct 7, 2021 | News
We will hold our annual Blessing of the Saints service at 10:00 a.m. on October 31 at Wildwood Cemetery, beginning at the Mason family monument. After a brief liturgy, we will walk the grounds to bless the graves of Crawford’s founders, friends, and loved ones buried there. We need your help building our list of Crawford “saints” who are buried at Wildwood. Those on our list include founders of the Methodist church in Winchester, more recent members of Crawford Memorial UMC, and many in between. If you have loved ones buried in Wildwood who are connected to Crawford in any way, please send their names to us here, then plan to join us on the morning of October 31 to help us bless them all.
by Stacey Hilliard | Sep 28, 2021 | News
Sunday is our second annual Blessing of the Animals service, outside, under the tent. We will still celebrate communion together, pray, and sing; and our furry, scaly, and winged friends will pray, sing, and share the peace, each in their own tongues.
Our prayer time will include moments to remember the holes in our hearts left by pets who are gone from us too soon, to honor animals that serve in public safety and wellness, to mourn the loss of species, and to celebrate those who have taken on the difficult work of animal rescue, shelter, and care.
For a message, we will hear the moving story of Joseph, Peter Hobson’s therapy dog, whose memory is honored with one of the memorial trees that line Church Street. If you doubt the healing power of animals, you will change your mind after hearing from Peter.
So bring your critters, big or small. “If you can control it, you can bring it.” Let’s recognize and bless the animals together. See you Sunday at 10:00 a.m.!
