When I’m asked to write the Friday Log, you could almost bet I’ll talk about the preschool or music. Those are, after all, my two favorite topics when it comes to our beautiful church. This week I’m going to shock you, and instead I’d like to talk to you about death and the phrase “in memory of.”

I know that just took an alarming turn, but I needed to grab your attention. I am a deeply feeling person, and loss impacts me tremendously. I think it does most, but you know that friend or family member who sheds a single tear and seems to move on, or the one who’s silently devastated, and then the one who sobs uncontrollably at the silliest things, like a tube of orange-red lipstick left atop a vanity, patiently waiting for its owner to return and apply it carefully (because one should always dress the lips, according to my late grandmother). That last one is me. The feelings are deep and wide, if you will.

I have found myself contemplating the concept of doing things “in memory of.” A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to share a story with some gal pals about a wonderful friend of mine, Stephanie, who tragically passed away eight years ago in a small plane crash. She was one of those people who was an angel on Earth, and her early passing feels like it might’ve been a call back home for her, while a deep loss for those of us left behind. When I run long road races, I often dedicate them to her. I know she’d be that friend on the sideline, yelling, “Go, Chels, go!”—wild and untamed in her joy and encouragement for another.

My grandmother passed in the fall of 2018 (yes, the very same year as my friend) and took a piece of me with her. With that, she also left me with the greatest gift: the challenge of living how I saw her live. She had that essence, that true joie de vivre, the kind that, after suffering so much personal tragedy in her own life, felt a little generous, in my opinion. We honor her memory in our home frequently, most often by making what we call Shirley bacon. It must be nearly burned to a crisp to be made properly.

When I visit the 9/11 Memorial, or each year when that day comes and goes, I sit with the stories of those who were lost that day. It’s a deeply harrowing place to be mentally, but it by no means compares to what they went through on that unassuming day 25 years ago. On the Sunday after the 25th anniversary, Pastor Jennie talked about a photograph of two people holding hands as they decided their fate rather than wait for it in the ash and embers behind them, and wondered aloud who they might’ve been to one another. At that moment, a friend reached behind her to grab my hand, and we both silently wept in the pew. I like to think we were honoring that couple’s memory by wondering about them, taking each other’s hands, and shedding tears for them.

And if you’re reflecting on your own “in memory of” moments, remember we share one together when we come to the table once a month to honor the memory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Luke 22:19 (and 1 Corinthians 11:24-25) says:

“Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”

So here is my point. If we do things in memory of others, what are we doing today that will shape the memories that come after we’re gone? Jesus lived knowing where He’d meet His ultimate earthly end. While we may not know our exact day, we know that we too shall leave this earthly plane at some point. What will our “in memory of” look like for others? It might not be for us to tell, as we each hold memories differently, but surely, it’s a guidepost for continuing to attempt to walk the path Jesus laid.

Sometimes I think of myself and what my “in memory” legacy might be. Do you? Maybe it’ll be your singing (good or bad, they’ll remember, eh?!), the garden you kept, or the way you showed up for people, even crossing state and country borders to be there for them. Maybe your legacy lies in a silent work of tending to the dead once they’ve passed, giving their loved ones one final glance at their mortal bodies, perfectly frozen in time. Or maybe your legacy will be loving work with preschoolers your entire life. Perhaps, with any luck, it’ll be something you’ve yet to do in this life, because hopefully we all get that long life we’ve been praying for, and we have time to establish many more memorable moments. For me, and at the rate I’m going, who knows what kind of hobbies and quirks I’ll amass in my third act (really praying I come around to that orange-red lipstick my grandma loved so much).

I do my best each day to live my life cognizant that someday I will be but a memory here on earth, and I keep that thought tucked in the back of my mind as I go about my life. Not in a painstaking way, but in a way that keeps my edges a little more rounded and my heart a little softer.

In every case where I’ve lost someone, all I am left with is the essence, the “in memory” phrase we’re talking about. When you lose someone, or even something, it’s as if a quick summary of who they were rushes in, quickly followed by a hole in your heart and on the earth, and there’s an unintentional filter applied to about 98% of their life. We’re just left with a feeling.

This is true of a place, too. Like our church. What overall feeling are we left with when we leave? If our church went away, what essence would it leave behind? Is it a place of love and acceptance of all? Is it a place that helps children feel welcome and included? Is it a place where we recognize the value of having four-, five-, seven-, and eleven-year-olds who recognize our campus as a home, a safe place?

And then how are we, in our human condition, adding to that essence or overall impression? Are we mimicking Jesus’ warm embrace when we welcome others? Are we singing His praises, loudly and proudly?

Our church just hosted Preschool Sunday and World Communion Sunday, a fitting pair if there ever was one. What a beautiful day to honor our Lord and Savior and the sacrifice He made, and to come to the table in His memory alongside so many young, impressionable families and children. Those little ones are learning what it means to remember, and someday they will carry the essence of this place and the people in it.

“One generation shall laud your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4

Lord, let us be a place worth remembering. Help us keep welcoming these little ones the way You welcomed them, and let what they remember of us be Your love. Amen.

And look at that, I made my way back to music and preschool.

In memory of Stephanie, Robyn, and Shirley,

​Chelsea Spits
Director of Children's Music
​

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

“The Prairie Home Companion” was a long running, radio variety show that was hosted by master storyteller Garrison Keillor. The show’s central piece was a weekly report about the people and events of the fictional town of Lake Wobegon, Minnesota, known as “the little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve.”

I can’t help but imagine Lake Wobegon was a lot like Roswell was 50 years ago, except with a lot more snow, a lot more Lutherans, and a lot less traffic.

Each week at the close of the show, Keillor signed off with his famous tag line: “THAT’S the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.” 
It all sounds so idyllic. Who wouldn’t want to live in a place like Lake Webogon?

Whether we realize it or not, most of us do live in such a place. Studies have shown in cultures like ours that stress individualism, there is a tendency for people to over-estimate their abilities and achievements in comparison to others. In other words, we all tend to see ourselves as above average, a phenomenon is sometimes referred to as the Lake Wobegon Effect.

The good news is that as members of the body of Christ we ARE, in fact, all gifted, 100% of us! As Paul tells the Corinthians, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

But this giftedness is NOT for our own success and aggrandizement; it’s for the upbuilding of God’s kingdom. The Holy Spirit gives each of us particular gifts to strengthen the body of Christ so that it can fulfill of its mission in the world.

“A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good,” Paul said—not just to some but to ALL. The church needs everyone to be employing their gifts in ministry both inside and outside the walls of the church in order to impact the world for Christ.

We need…

• gifted guitarists and faithful choir members,
• inspiring teachers and committed youth counselors,
• prayer warriors and compassionate listeners
• technology wizards and creative videographers,
• good cooks and experienced builders…
• The list could go on and one.

No one is more valuable than another. ALL are essential to the church faithfully fulfilling its ministry. AND the offering of each and every gift by each one of us is cause for the church to celebrate.

See you this Sunday when we will celebrate at one combined service at 11 a.m. the gifts of our Northbrook Preschool and Teachers and gather at the Lord’s Table on World Communion Sunday as part of God’s gifted and sent people.

Rev. Jennifer Andone, Senior Pastor
P.S. Chad’s preaching!

​

I think we can all agree that life can get very exhausting sometimes. We’re entering a season when many holidays are approaching, and with them can come stress and fatigue. I will be honest, though: I enjoy this time of year in September not just because it’s my wife’s and my birthday month, but also because I get to see the creativity in each family’s traditions for certain holidays. Traditions are the pillars that support the framework of who your family is. With them come stories and history that reveal joy that the surrounding community can sometimes witness.
 
I’ve seen traditions like Halloween cookouts, where people in our neighborhood invite neighbors to join in. My family’s Thanksgiving traditions include cooking certain foods and playing certain games. For Christmas, we read The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve, right before everyone goes to bed, and pass around the first gift to everyone. Traditions matter because, for some, they’re part of who we are.
 
However, even though there is a lot of joy during these upcoming holidays, there is also hardship and sadness. I believe the church and the traditions each ministry brings to the congregation can help those who sometimes lose joy in certain seasons. I am currently working with our youth to create traditions that define who we are as a ministry, along with creating opportunities to bring new traditions to the families in our community.
 
​In December, we will have the Live Nativity led by our youth. It’s an event where we tell the story that changed the world, and we hope it becomes a tradition for families in our church and community throughout Advent. In February, we will host a gala dinner, and all money raised will go toward our summer mission trip. This event will be an annual tradition where church members can have an evening to themselves and enjoy a beautiful meal served by the youth group.
 
You see, the church, along with its ministries, creates opportunities people can look forward to year after year, which then become traditions in their own lives. Northbrook is constantly coming up with new ideas and visions, helping people of every age look forward and reminding us of all that God is continually at work through every season.
 
As we approach this busy time of year, I challenge you to think about your personal traditions, see how they affect your life or possibly the life of someone else. Then, if you need a new tradition for your family for any season, come out to Northbrook, where you can find the joy of Christ in pumpkins, trunk-or-treats, Christmas trees, food drives, craft shows, service projects, gala dinners, VBS, mission trips, and so much more.
 
My prayer is that you continue to build on your own traditions, but trust in the church and community to make new ones. I hope to see you and your family in one of the upcoming seasons.
 
Peace,
Erich Wills
Minister of Youth & Missions
 

​As each day, month and year passes, there are times when I reflect on my life and see so much—things I have accomplished, decisions I am proud of, mistakes I wish I could undo, relationships that changed me, seasons that tested me, and moments when God carried me, even when I did not realize how much I needed Him.

I have learned that my accomplishments, my experiences, and even the things I have endured cannot be the measure of my worth. They are part of my story, but they are not the source of my identity. My greatest treasure is knowing Christ, and I still have work to do. There is still more of God to know, more growing to do, more healing to experience, and more purpose to discover.

That is both humbling and encouraging.

I do not have to have everything figured out. I do not have to be everything I once thought I should be. I simply need to keep moving forward with Christ and the Holy Spirit.

So today, I choose to release what is behind me.
I release the regrets and disappointments.
I release the things I cannot change.
I release the temptation to measure my life by what I have accomplished or lost.
 
And I press forward.
I press forward because God is not finished with me.
I press forward because there is still purpose ahead.
I press forward because my best days are not behind me.
 
Perhaps that is what God is asking all of us to do in this season: not to run faster, but to keep going; not to have all the answers, but to keep trusting; not to focus on how far we have come, but to remain faithful to where God is leading us.

My Prayer:  Lord, help us not to become so preoccupied with yesterday that  we miss what You are doing today. Amen.

Scripture: Philippians 3:4b–14

With gratitude,
Phyllis Baskin
Office Manager

​This weekend we remember the atrocities of September 11, 2001. Where were you when you heard the news that our beloved country was under attack, with more questions than answers and filled with fear? I think we all have memories of where we were that horrific day and if our family members were safe. I was at the Delta gate in the San Francisco airport when the announcement came over the loudspeaker that all air travel had been halted. I was determined to just wait it out, anxious to get home to my family. It was three days later before I was able to return, on a totally silent flight, until the applause broke out when the wheels hit the ground, so grateful to have safely landed.
 
On that day, in a tiny town in Newfoundland, 6,500 international travelers (and a few pets) were sitting in planes on the tarmac, the closest landing strip for all planes flying over the Atlantic Ocean, when the call to land immediately was made. Gander residents immediately went into action, identifying places for these travelers to go, and sleep, and eat, so that they could disembark from their aircraft. Residents opened their small homes. Community buildings and churches were converted to dormitories. Bonds were formed. Cooks began amassing ingredients to feed all these travelers for 5 days, many who had loved ones who lived or worked in NYC and had no idea if they were safe. Many were not.
 
This true story is told in the 9/11 Memorial Museum. A book and a Broadway play also capture the beauty of this tiny town’s response during a time of such sorrow. The Mayor of Gander said “It was a community effort; there’s no question about it. It was the right thing to do in a time of need.”
 
May it be so, for you and for me.
 
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.    
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
 
With gratitude,
 
Christy Merritt
Godly Play Coordinator

Last year, Leigh Ann Launius did a wonderful job putting together the materials and structure for our
Wednesday Night Dinners. At one of our Women’s Ministry Leadership Team meetings, she said, “I need to
find someone to lead Wednesday Night Dinners.”

From somewhere in the room came a voice: “I’ll do it!”

I heard a few gasps and looked around to see who had responded to such a large task. To my surprise, everyone
was looking at me. It was me—I had volunteered!

My first thought was, What came over me? I already have other commitments! But almost immediately, I felt at
peace, and I knew I was supposed to take this on. I began reaching out to and working with the many small groups at Northbrook. It was my first interaction with many of these wonderful people, and I wondered if we would have enough volunteers. But every group responded with people willing to serve. The first few weeks were a little nerve-racking, but there was no need to worry. Volunteers showed up, served with enthusiasm, and provided great service and hospitality. During Holy Week, we had more than 90 people join us for dinner!

It has been a blessing to see people enjoying a meal together and then participating in the many programs that
take place on Wednesday evenings—Bible studies, children’s choir, adult choir, handbells, and more.
Wednesday Night Dinner has become so much more than a meal. It has become a place of connection,
fellowship, and belonging—a place where people can come together, slow down, laugh, talk, and truly see one
another.

One of the things I love most is watching our volunteers serve with such joy. They come ready to help, but they
also genuinely enjoy being together. They share conversations, laughter, and fellowship while serving others.
As someone who helps organize these dinners, it has been incredibly meaningful to see how serving can bring
people together and create a space where everyone feels that they have a place and they belong.

By the end of last season, 90 volunteers had given their time and talents to Wednesday Night Dinners.
Wednesday Night Dinner is a beautiful example of what can happen when we live out our commitment to
Northbrook United Methodist Church through our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. It takes many
hands and willing hearts to make these Wednesday evenings happen, and I am so grateful for every person who
has helped make them special.

As we start this next season of dinners I want to thank you for showing up, serving, sharing a meal, and helping
make room at the table. I am grateful to be part of this congregation and this wonderful ministry.

With gratitude,
Dianne Hiers
​Coordinator, Wednesday Night Meals

One of my favorite things to do during the summer months is to arrive at work early and
enjoy my morning coffee in the community garden. There is something incredibly
peaceful about being surrounded by nature at the start of the day. I listen to the birds
singing their praises and watch butterflies and dragonflies flit from garden box to garden
box. Each box is filled with something beautiful—tall sunflowers, juicy red tomatoes,
fragrant basil, and brightly colored zinnias. It is truly a wonderful way to begin the day.
Being in nature is restorative, and we are so fortunate to have such a beautiful campus
at Northbrook. As I wander across campus and make my way back to the preschool, I
often think of Psalm 96:12: “Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the
trees of the forest sing for joy.” I imagine the trees—the pines, dogwoods, pecans, and
figs—all singing for joy, especially when our students are here filling the campus with
their own joyful energy.

Our students love this campus and the opportunity to explore the world just beyond their
classroom doors. Their classes adopt trees and tend to our garden boxes. They plant
flowers and release butterflies. They dig in the dirt and make friends with the bugs they
discover. They roll in the grass, race down the “hills,” and delight in watching squirrels,
chipmunks, and geese.

In the Reggio Emilia philosophy, nature and outdoor spaces serve as open-ended,
aesthetic, and dynamic environments where children can use their “hundred
languages”—through art, building, scientific inquiry, and countless other forms of
expression—to explore, collaborate, and co-construct knowledge alongside their
teachers and peers. We are so grateful that our students have the freedom to use this
beautiful campus as an extension of their classroom, giving them opportunities to learn,
wonder, discover, and grow.

Before summer comes to an end, I hope you will take a few moments to visit the garden
or simply wander our campus with a cup of coffee in hand. I promise it will do wonders
for your soul.
​
With love,
Jennifer Sawicki
Preschool Director

I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce myself a little more personally. As Reverend Jennie mentioned when she introduced me to the congregation on August 2nd, stepping into the role of Director of Communications is particularly meaningful to me because Northbrook has been a pillar in my life since I was two years old. I started at the Preschool, and we later joined the church when I was five. In many ways, I have spent almost my entire life growing up here.

During my interview, I was asked, “if you were to tell someone about Northbrook, what would you say?” Instantly overcome with emotion, I choked out that it is the most loving and supportive place. This little church in the pines has given me lifelong friendships, seen me through numerous losses, high school and college graduations, starting my career, and all the little moments in between. It is home. And now? I get to come home in a different capacity.
 
If I could tell my younger self sitting in the pew on Sunday morning, one day you will be on staff here, I probably wouldn’t have believed me. It is exactly the job I wanted in my mid-twenties. That’s how God works though, isn’t it? Slowly, deliberately, in the right time. There were still things I needed to do, people to meet and things to learn before God moved me out of one season and into another.
 
Psalm 23 has always been one of my favorite passages, but the words “He restores my soul” have felt particularly close to me in this season. Restoration doesn't necessarily mean getting everything back exactly the way it was. Sometimes restoration looks like being led somewhere new. Sometimes it looks like realizing that the thing you thought you were losing was actually making room for something you needed.

Which brings me back to Sunday's sermon, and the weeds.

I have been thinking about the image of pulling weeds in a garden. Pulling weeds isn't really the point of gardening. We don't pull weeds just to have an empty garden. We pull them so that there is room for something else to grow.
And maybe that is part of what God has been teaching me in this season. There are things we must release. There are things we need to trust Him with. And sometimes, after the weeds have been pulled, there is a period of simply tending the soil and waiting to see what grows.

That is what makes stepping into this role at Northbrook feel so significant to me. It feels like a season of tending the soil. After a season of letting go and learning to trust, I feel like God has brought me home to a place that has always been a source of love, community, and belonging. And in some ways, this season feels like an opportunity for restoration—not just for the work I am doing, but for my soul.

For most of my life, Northbrook has been a place where I have been cared for. Now I get to help tell its stories, connect its people, and hopefully help make room for whatever God is growing here next.

I don't know exactly what that will look like. I am learning to be okay with that. Maybe that is part of the tending, too: being present in the season God has given us instead of rushing ahead to see what comes next.

So, for those who have known me for most of my life and those I am just getting to know, thank you for welcoming me home in this new way. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve this church, to help tell its stories (and yours), and to see what God will grow here next.
​
And for now, I am trying to remember to slow down and savor this season. Because seasons change. People change. Things don't last forever. But perhaps part of the gift is getting to be fully present for the season we are in and trusting God with whatever comes next.
 
Yours in Christ,
Lauren Dempsey
Director of Communications

As you know, one of the areas that is such a gift to our church and this community is our
Northbrook House. This space is used by multiple groups and activities on a weekly basis throughout the year…including our Crafters Ladies, Scout Troop 985, and multiple Men’s Bible Studies. Over the past couple of months, our Trustees have been working to provide some much-needed updates and improvements to the Northbrook House.
 
Thanks to a very generous donation, we were able to complete the following items:
 
1.  We replaced the roof, gutters, and downspouts.
2.  The exterior of the house was painted, and the deck had several boards repaired
                  and was painted.
3.  One of the doors in the house had the window repaired and replaced.
4.  All the trees surrounding and hanging over the house were trimmed to keep our
                 new roof clear of any falling branches.
5.  Ed Rogers graciously put in a new side entrance step and handrail to allow for
                  easier access to the house.
6.  And last, but not least, RT Evans’ Company (Evans GC) graciously donated
                 about 20 new chairs to surround the meeting tables in the main area (several
                 folks who use that space have already expressed their gratitude for the new
                 chairs!).
​
We are so thankful for the Northbrook House and the ministry space it provides for so
many people throughout each year. Because of these updates, our prayer is that the
Northbrook House will continue to provide a safe and meaningful space for each person
who enters for many years to come.
 
In addition to work completed on the Northbrook House, our Trustees have planned to
complete the following projects this year:

1. Replacing four more AC units to complete the total refurbishment of the

entire campus HVAC system.
      2.   Construction of a new screen wall around the outside HVAC farm servicing the
             sanctuary building.
      3.   Installation of additional lights in the parking areas.
      4.   Various improvements to the landscaping of the entire campus.
 
Thank you again for your trust in our Trustees as we strive to keep our Northbrook
campus looking its best.
 
Blessings!
 
Allen Whittaker (Executive Director) and
Bill Noethling (Trustees Chair)