A Future Not Our Own

It helps now and then to step back and take a long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of
saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession
brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives include everything.

This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one
day will grow. We water the seeds already planted
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects
far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of
liberation in realizing this.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning,
a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's
grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the
difference between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not
messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.

-A prayer composed by Ken Untener as a reflection on teh anniversary of the assassination of a Catholic San Salvador Archbishop, Oscar Romero.

TOUCHES OF INTEREST

Save the Date! University Church OUTDOOR CHURCH is scheduled for June 2 at 11:45am. This special service will happen on Centennial Green and will feature University Singers, I Cantori, and sermon by Alex Bryan. Begin planning your picnic lunch today! (First Serve will take a one-week hiatus on June 2; Sabbath Schools will take place on their normal schedule). Join us!

WWU School of Business is working on a project with Sunset Lake Camp this quarter. They’ve made a survey for parents of camp-aged children, and they’d be very grateful if you could find 2 minutes to complete it. tinyurl.com/ybkx46bf

Retired denominational workers’ potluck is Monday, May 7 at 5:30pm in the Village Church Fellowship Hall.

The University Church will begin using a texting service to share important information about events, schedule changes, and emergencies. Please opt-in by texting “WWUCINFO” to 84576. Members who wish to opt-out should call or email the church office before May 19.

The pastoral staff would like to remind you that they are available outside of office hours for emergencies. Please call the main office number at 509.527.2800 and follow the prompts. One of the pastors will respond.

ASWWU Global Service is looking for volunteers to cook food for our annual International Food Fair on June 3. If you are interested in getting involved or have any questions contact aswwu.globalservice@wallawalla.edu. They are also looking for small pop-up canopies, such as used for sporting events, that we can use to cover the food booths. If you have one they could use, please contact them.

The SonBridge Dental Clinic is looking for a sterilization technician with entry-level dental skills or willingness to be trained in the position. If interested, call 509.956.3165.

Maplewood Academy annual meeting and potluck will be May 5 at 1:30pm at Walla Walla Valley Academy.
Please call 509.529.4837 for further information.

SonBridge Thrift & Gift Store is recruiting volunteers to sort donated goods, help haul items, or maintain the facility. If interested, please call 509.529.3100.

The Christian Aid Center is pleased to celebrate the completion of their Gift of Grace campaign. THANK YOU to all who had a part in raising $4.85 million to build a new shelter for homeless women and children. The new building promises them a chance to be safe, to experience dignity, to live in a caring community, and to find restoration and hope. The project is currently under construction and slated to open its doors in June 2018.

The Christian Aid Center is currently in need of childcare volunteers on Thursday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00.  Please contact Jeannette Regalado, Volunteer & Donor Relations at 525-7153 ext. 114 for more information.

Employment Opportunity: Rogers Adventist School is hiring a part time 7th/8th grade teacher for the 18-19 school year. SDA certification required (or will be completed by the beginning of the school year), state certification preferred. Applicant should be skilled in teaching algebra, language arts, and Bible. Interested applicants should submit a resume with references and a cover letter to Holley Bryant at holley.bryant@rschool.org.

Young Life is hosting a spaghetti fundraiser to send Middle School and High School kids to camp. Young Life is an international organization with a mission to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. May 14th from 5pm-9pm, the First Presbyterian Church of Walla Walla is generously hosting a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser in which 100% of the funds raised go directly to the camp expenses. The food has been paid for by a generous donation and the students are ready to serve vegetarian and meat spaghetti options; all we need is empty stomachs! Tickets are $10/person and $5 for kids under 6. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Digging Deeper Retreat -- May 18-20 at Camp Mivoden. We invite you to a spiritual retreat for young adults and young families (ages 20s-40s). Whether single, married, with or without kids, all in the 20s-40s age range are invited to come together for a weekend of connecting in friendship and digging into the Word. Ty Gibson, our keynote speaker, will be unpacking our theme “Digging Deeper into God’s Heart”. Children's program for ages 4-10yr, childcare for ages 18mos-3yr, and mother’s room for infants are provided at the retreat. For more information visit www.DiggingDeeperRetreat.com.

Discovery Preschool is now enrolling children 3-5 years of age. It is the goal of our staff to work closely together with each family to provide a solid foundation for intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual growth of the child. Children are encouraged to explore their world through self-expression in a natural, playful, social environment. Contact information: stacy.maxted@wallawalla.edu or 509.527.2252. Visit: wallawalla.edu/preschool