Dear Rose Park,
This letter comes from our beloved elder, Marife Vander Schuur…
April 2020, I was laid off from a career that I thought defined who I am. Many of you felt the impact of 2020. For others, that meant a job loss, illness, or even a death in the family. There was a tumultuous weight of uncertainty in a world where we want a guarantee that our tomorrow is secure.
Dear Rose Park,
During this Holiday season, many families have various traditions. Some of these traditions may have been passed down from generation to generation; perhaps it’s singing “Silent Night” with your closest family members on Christmas Eve, sitting in front of the fireplace and hearing “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas”, or maybe even watching “Home Alone” or “Christmas Vacation” and laughing at all the scenes you’ve already watched a dozen times. In any case, the rhythm of traditions can be very meaningful to individuals and families during this Advent season.
Dear Rose Park,
Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singly o’re the plains, and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strain. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Above is the first verse and refrain from “Angels We Have Heard on High.” It’s one of the most famous songs during the Christmas season. Casting Crowns, Josh Groban, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and even Sarah McLachlan have their own versions of the beloved hymn (my personal favorite is Andrea Bocelli). Regardless of the version, it is a beautiful hymn that perfectly encapsulates the glory of Christmas while also inviting us to imagine the wonder and excitement of Christ’s birth.
Dear Rose Park,
This past year has caused a lot of difficulty; it’s been filled with grief, pain, and even fear. We’ve lost loved ones without being able to say goodbye. We’ve missed opportunities we’ll never get back. However, this year has also forced us to ask difficult and probing questions like: why is this happening? Where do we go from here? What does this all mean? What’s on the other side of this? And finally, who am I? This last question is what interests me most.
From the desk of our beloved intern, Amanda Bunce…
Dear Rose Park,
Cats, eagles, mantis shrimp, and sheep all have spectacular vision abilities. Cats can see in the dark, eagles can see a mile and a half away, mantis shrimp have an advanced color recognition for the ocean floor, and sheep have wide and narrow pupils that allow them to see a wider field of vision than any other animal as they are constantly alert for predators while grazing with their head down.
Dear Rose Park,
Living in Michigan, we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by beautiful trees: great big oaks, prickly pines, and colorful maples cover over 50 % of the entire state. Did you know the state tree of Michigan is the Eastern White Pine, the most abundant trees in Michigan are maples, and that most of the lumber used to construct Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871 came from Michigan? This is all to say, we are surrounded by beautiful, strong, and giving trees.
Dear Rose Park,
One of Simon’s favorite games to play is “I Spy.” We typically play the game while driving in the car to pass the time. Simon is always spying stop signs, red barns, and big trucks. On Monday morning, as we drove to Aunt Bear’s daycare (aka Cherrie VanderSlik’s house), I said to Simon, “I spy with my little eye a big red barn.” After a few scans on the horizon Simon said, “I see it daddy! That barn is really far away!” After Simon made the comment, my mind thought of another thing that I can spy that is much closer than we think.
Dear Rose Park,
Our denomination publishes a small devotional entitled Words of Hope. I read a recent entry from Psalm 31. If you get a chance, I’d encourage you to pick up your bible sometime this week and read through Psalm 31; it speaks directly to our congregation, our community, and our country. The psalmist is writing from a dark place and I can only imagine the pain in their heart while they penned these words:
Dear Rose Park,
Breaking News: there is no news because we still don’t know. It’s still too early and it’s still too close. This election process has been long, arduous, and at times ridiculous. It has not brought out the best in us as a nation, but it would be foolish for us to think that an elected official would fix all our problems and it would be just as foolish for us to lose hope in the Gospel of Jesus.
