In the book, An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor has a chapter on the spiritual practice of pronouncing blessings.  Taylor says that we should be blessing things more often because when we are seeing things closely enough to bless them, we are looking at them through the eyes of God.  Pronouncing blessings, she says, might be the closest we ever get to God.  Blessing things and people and spaces is a way of looking at them not for what they can do for you or what they have accomplished, but simply for the wonder that God made them to be. So as I say goodbye as a staff member at Northbrook, where I have laughed, grown, stressed, worked, loved, and been loved for 12 years, I would like to pronounce some blessings - a benediction if you will - “a blessing that comes at the end of something, to send people on their way.”

Northbrook, you are a church filled with love.  

• You notice people.  
• You check-in with people.  
• You encourage people.  
• You welcome people - not just with a quick hello, but with a “join me in my pew/sit at my table."  You aren’t afraid to dig-into-scripture, to hard conversations, to the gritty work of service, to seeing the world both as it is and as it could be.  
• You are joyful.
• Your spaces are filled with laughter more often than not.

 
When I tell people about the wonderful church that you are, I tell them that you will always choose loving the person in front of you over holding tight to some belief with which you are grappling.
 
You have loved my family so well.  You have cheered my girls on, helped keep them safe, taught them the stories of God, and made sure they knew how loved they were.  You have been a home for all three of us for more than a decade.
 
You have made an indelible mark on my life, and I will forever be thankful for my time (and all 400 jobs I have held) at Northbrook.
 
And until we meet again, remember you are a beloved child of God (and loved so fiercely by me).

Many Blessings,
Leslie Bowers
Former Director of Creative Services

School's out for summer, and I am eagerly anticipating it all — pool days, popsicles, summer salads, house projects, and a daze of patriotic celebrations that give my husband an excuse to crank up the grill and feed the masses. So, if you're craving a Smashburger this weekend, you know where to find us.

Summer also means wonder. My oldest son and I have been spending our mornings outside, watching new blooms arrive and looking up at the sky. He's very curious, and we've been having all sorts of conversations sparked by his curiosity. He once asked me if heaven is in the clouds. I'm still thinking about it. Matthew 6:25–34 reminds us not to worry about our daily needs but to marvel at the world around us. We're trying to start our days with a bit of this wonder.

We also have exciting things happening with the children's choir this summer. We have a full season of themed rehearsals planned, and our kickoff is "Fun in the Sun" — so if you're wandering through campus next Wednesday, don't be surprised if you spot some goofy sunglasses and bright colors. Worshipping God through music has always been joyful — this summer, we're adding a little sprinkle of sunshine to it.

My family and I are always eager to share our love for Northbrook. It is such a special place to us — for school, for worship, and for community. Lately, discipleship keeps coming up in conversations and messaging. It has led me to pause and consider what it really means and what it looks like for our family right now. I keep coming back to John 1:39: "Come and you will see." If you're wondering whether this is where your family belongs, come and see. Come and be! We're here to welcome you.

Let us wonder, wander, and share our love of God this summer. And let us enjoy the season we're in.

In Christ,
 Chelsea Spits, Director of Children’s Music

I love the game of baseball. Like many Americans I look forward to this time of the year. I was introduced to baseball at a very young age. My older brother taught me all that I needed to know. We would sit around the radio listening as he explained every pitch. It felt as though we had front row seats in the stadium! We would listen to the Houston Astros or the Chicago White Sox. As a matter of fact, we were so into the sport that my brother, Lucien, invented a replica of the game. I'll share with you how it was played.
​
A 12x12 piece of cardboard was cut out and used for the diamond. A circle was drawn in the center for the pitcher's mound. First, second, third and home plate were labeled on the corners. It was placed on the floor where two walls met using the baseboards for the outfield walls. It was a perfect height for our players. So now we need some players. An old chess game came in handy. Several pieces were selected and given a name and position. Letters were marked on players for better identification. For instance, there could be a Knight A and a Knight R. One could be a shortstop and the other a catcher. A few toy soldiers were also added to the rosters.
 
Now let's play ball! Each pitch was determined by the roll of a dice borrowed from a monopoly game. If a three is rolled, it's a ball thrown by the pitcher. A six is a call strike and four is a strike swing and a miss. Four balls you walk, and three strikes and you are out! Roll a one and it's a liner to the outfield. Roll another one and it drops in for a single. Roll a two and it's a fly ball. Roll another two and it becomes a homer. A two rolled followed by a one becomes a double, with a chance of becoming a triple with the roll of another one. Oops, I almost forgot. The roll of a five was an infield ground ball which the batter would be safe at first only if a one was rolled next. Nine innings were played for every complete game. If the score was tied at the end of nine innings, the game went into extra innings until a team scored a run. Every pitcher had a win/loss record along with strike outs accomplished. For every position player's batting average was calculated and a record was kept of his hits, runs, homers and runs batted in.
 
I think that covers it my friends. That is why I love the game of baseball. Thank you Lu for teaching me the ropes of my favorite sport. Until we meet again, love all.
 
GO BRAVES!
 
In Christ,
Jerome Young, Facilities Manager
 

​And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."
--Mark 3:33-35

When Mother's Day is approaching, we often talk in our weekly worship staff meeting about being sensitive on Mother's Day to the variety of feelings people have around the day based on their own family and life experiences. We recognize the day can bring as much sadness and grief as joy and celebration, depending upon one's vantage point in life. One of the ways we address this is by trying to focus on the word "mother" more as a verb rather than a noun.

In her book Captivating, Stasi Eldredge writes, "...the word mother is more powerful when used as a verb rather than a noun. All women are not mothers, but all women are called to mother...A woman is not less of a woman because she is not a wife or has not physically born a child...All women are made in the image of God in that we bring forth life."

To mother is "to give birth to, to create, to watch over, nourish, and protect." As followers of Jesus, the Holy Spirit blesses each of us, male and female, with gifts to help others fully become who God created them to be. When we love and nurture others in the faith, we are partnering with God in bringing forth new life in the name of the One who is "the way, the truth, and the life."

Think, if you will, about those who have mothered or fathered you in the faith and offer thanks to God for them. Then consider this question: "Who, outside of my family, am I mothering or fathering in the faith?" Then ask God to reveal to you who and how you can mother and father someone outside your family.

I hope to see you on this "Mothering" Sunday at Northbrook, a spiritual family where God welcomes ALL as members of the family of God!

Pastor Jennie

My cousin’s daughter was recently diagnosed with cancer weeks after she received a heart transplant. Wildfires burn in South Georgia. The war in Ukraine is in its fourth year. The conflict and uncertainty in Iran and the Middle East continue to have a global impact. Political division and violence fill the headlines. Over 25 million people in Sudan are facing crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. And the list goes on and on…If you are anything like me, you may be wondering, “Where is Easter when we need it?” WARNING: You might not like what’s about to follow.

Stay with me for a second… many theologians describe our current period of salvation history as the “already not yet.” Put simply, the kingdom of God has “already” come through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but it has “not yet” fully come (and won’t until Christ comes again). We live in the in-between when all that is broken, evil, and sinful is colliding with all that is right, whole, and good.

Our world is convinced we can fix every headline if we have the right power: political, religious, financial, medical, technological, ideological, or militaristic. Surely, we can vote, believe, pay, inject, innovate, think, or bomb our way into a better world?

The hard truth… there is no Easter without emptiness, humility, suffering, and sacrifice. Tombs can’t become empty if they aren’t first occupied, and tombs can’t be occupied unless someone is willing to lay down their life.

The first Easter came because Jesus “did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross (Phil 2:6-8). And our world cannot experience other Easters unless we, the body of Christ are willing to do the same.

Our hearts, our families, our community, our nation, and our world need another Easter. The question Jesus is asking you and me, “Will you follow me from the manger, to the cross, and through the tomb?”

This fourth week of Eastertide it is my prayer that regardless of the cost we will each reply, “Wherever you lead I’ll go.”

Pastor Allen