News And Updates

May 2021

Dear Kirk family,

I finally made it to a live sporting event!

No, it wasn’t the Red Sox at Fenway Park or the Celtics in Boston Garden.

It was as chauffeur to my 13-year-old daughter and her teammates as they went to a women’s soccer match between Ball State and Bowling Green surrounded by Ohio farmland. It was cold and everyone wore masks the whole time . . .

. . . but I will take it!

My sense is that I am not the only one creeping back into favorite things.

It has been a special joy to see some of our favorite things reemerge here at the Kirk. To that end, I am so happy to share that our Garden Service will come back on May 9^th and continue through the summer. This comes at the perfect time since May 9^th is a special one in the life of our church — it is Mother’s Day and Marjorie’s last service before her “formal” retirement.

What you can expect:

• We will continue the 8:00 a.m. service in Cedarholm Chapel, the 9:00 a.m. prerecorded online broadcast, the 10:00 a.m. sanctuary service (by preregistration) with livestream, and 11:00 a.m. radio broadcast. As a reminder, access to the chapel and sanctuary will be through the Welcome Center and Heritage Hall doors while the front patio is under renovation.

• The Garden Service will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will include sermon, music, readings, and prayers. It will last approximately forty minutes. The Garden Service will not be livestreamed.

• There will be no need to register for the Garden Service. Bundle up, and please bring your own seating and prepare to “self social distance.” Masks are required during entry and exit, but may be removed once seated at a social distance. At this time we will not provide seating for the general congregation on the patio, but we look forward to offering that in the future.

• Coffee Hour will be coming back that day too! At this time, refreshments will be served outside of the Heritage Hall entrance. We also hope to have a special “Food Truck Brunch” on select Sundays throughout the summer.

• Our “Garden Club” children’s programming will also begin on May 9^th and will run at the same time as the Garden Service! Bring the children out for weeding, planting, beautifying, and harvesting — all while learning about how God is active and involved in everything that grows.

• In the case of inclement weather, we will cancel the Garden Service by email and by posting notice on our website and Facebook. Please be sure to check the website if things are wet! If it rains, we would welcome you to find open seating in sanctuary or refectory for the 10:00 a.m. service by preregistration.