In the words of Bob Marley, “Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet.”

Tomorrow is the start of my dancing feet month: June! Sunny days, mild temperatures, lower humidity. The days are still getting longer and on these warm evenings, you can sit outside in the backyard and watch puffy white clouds in blue skies turning at sunset into an explosion of gold, orange and red.

Lots of things happen around here in June. Since it’s cooler, almost all the Chicago events are scheduled for this month. To name just a few, there’s The Chicago Gospel Music Festival, The Windy City Hotdog Fest, Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago Pride Parade….even the Chicago Museums have begun posting the free days you can visit this month.

Makes you wanna move your dancing feet, doesn’t it.

Also, in June we have Flag Day, Father’s Day, Summer Solstice and, wait for it, John Wesley’s birthday in 1703. (I know you won’t want to miss that!)

While I was surfing “things to do in June” this week, I came across something new. It turns out that in the Roman Catholic Church, the month of June celebrates The Sacred Heart of Jesus which represents Jesus’ love for us. It celebrates the kind of love Jesus spoke about in Matthew’s Gospel when he likens himself to a mother hen who gathers her chicks under her wings. The mother puts her own body between danger and death in order to save the lives of her chicks.

I appreciate this devotion. I think it’s a beautiful thing. Imagine taking a full month out of your life to really focus on the depths of Jesus’ love: a love that puts himself between you and death, a love you can trust with your life.  

So, I’m making some intentions for my own devotions this June. First, I’ll be regularly praying for my Catholic brothers and sisters in their devotion of The Sacred Heart of Jesus this month.

Second, I’m not a Catholic, of course, but in my own Protestant, United Methodist, June loving way, I intend to be out in the backyard toward sunset, offering my own prayers of gratitude for Jesus’ amazing love. I’ll be praying to trust in that love more fully - for me, for us, for this hurting world.

And it just may be, it just may be that at some point I’ll get up and dance - for the sheer joy of a love that knows no bounds - while the sky explodes in gold, orange and red.

Yours in the journey,
Pastor Kristen


                                               Announcements

CRETE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WOMEN’S CLUB will be hosting a coffee gathering Sunday, June 4th, right after services in our church lobby. All are welcome to attend, gather, and get to know each other better. Light refreshments will be served.

CRETE UMC’S WOMEN’S CLUB next meeting will be held on Monday, June 26th, begins at 6p.

CRETE’S CRUISE NIGHTS begins this Monday, June 5th, from 5-8p.  All Mondays in JUNE, JULY and AUGUST except Monday July 3rd.

FARMERS MARKET begins Monday, June 5th, from 4-8p, in the church’s parking lot.

Rain or Shine.

All Mondays in June, July, and August except for Monday, July 3rd.

THE CRETE WOMAN’S CLUB 34th Annual “A Day in the Country’ ART & CRAFT FAIR, June 21 & 22 will be held in the church’s parking lot, from 9a to 4p.

CRETE LIONS CAR BINGO will he held on Saturday, June 17th, at 2p., in the church parking lot. Bingo Cards available for purchase on the day of the event.

THRIFT SHOP is open now on Saturdays, from 9a to 3p.

MASKS OPTIONAL: The wearing of masks at Crete United Methodist Church is optional.
While masks are not required, those who are more comfortable masked are encouraged to do so. We also ask that if you have not been vaccinated or if you are feeling a bit under the weather, that you personally chose to wear a mask while in the church buildings as a good faith gesture on your part.