Hometown Happenings articles are a community service for non-profit agencies only. Due to popular demand for placement in this section, we can no longer run all articles. Deadline for articles is Monday at 5 p.m. This is not guaranteed space. Articles will run as space allows. Guaranteed placement is $10, certain restrictions may apply. You now can email your Hometown Happenings to happenings@cedarspringspost.com please include name and phone number for any questions we may have.

Free Outdoor Family Concert

Aug. 19: The Community Building Development Team is hosting a Free Outdoor Family Concert on Saturday, August 19^th from 3 to 7 pm. It will be held in the “Heart of Cedar Springs” (park near the new Library). Two bands will be performing: Barn Cats and Whiskey Bound. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy! #31-33p

Open Mic at the CS Library

Aug. 19: You are invited to join local and regional writers in a night of reading original prose and poetry from 6 pm to 8 pm at the new Library in Cedar Springs, 107 N. Main Street. Readers will be initially scheduled for 5 minutes, but may be allowed more time depending on turnout. For more information on reading, email event master of ceremonies Ken at kdn13@hotmail.com. You may reach the Library at 616-901-7173. Feel free just to come to listen. Families welcome! #33

Dinner at the Legion

Aug. 21: American Legion, 80 S. Main St. Cedar Springs, is hosting a Pork Chop dinner on Monday, August 21^st, from 5 – 7 pm. Included will be mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing, veggies, salad, roll, dessert and drink. The cost is $9 for adults, children (15 and younger) $4.00. Come and enjoy home cooking. Take out is available. 616-696-9160.  #33p

Annual Second Best Sale

Aug. 25,26: Holy Spirit Episcopal Church’s Annual Second Best Sale is Friday, August 25 from 9 am – 4 pm and Saturday, August 26 from 9 am – 2 pm. There is a $5 “Early Bird Admission” charge on Friday only from 8-9 am; after 9 am admission is free! The sale is sponsored by the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) in support of parish activities. We have something for everyone, and everything is priced to move! Holy Spirit Episcopal Church is located at 1200 Post Drive NE, Belmont (corner of Post & Pine Island, 1/4 mile west of Exit 95 on US 131). #33,34b

HCNC Benefit Auction

Aug. 27: Come join us at Howard Christensen Nature Center on August 27^th for our Benefit Auction! Not only are we auctioning off items we no longer have use for, but we will have food, drinks, and other items for sale! Browsing will start at 1:30 pm, with the auction kicking off at 3 pm. Don’t miss out! If you have any questions or gently used items to donate to the auction, please let us know before the date of the event. 16160 Red Pine Drive, Kent City, 616-675-3158. #33

Improv Night at the Kent

Aug. 30: Fans of Improv need look no further than the Kent Theatre as the Cedar Springs Community Players hold Improv Night at 7 pm on Wednesday, August 30^th on the stage of the Kent Theatre in downtown Cedar Springs. The Players held its first Improv Night in February and are excited to offer another night of comedy on August 30^th. Tickets are available at the door for $5.00. Doors will open at 6:30 pm. Hope to see you there! #33,34b

CSUMC August Rummage Sale

Aug. 30,31: Cedar Springs United Methodist Women will holding our annual rummage sale in the fellowship hall of United Methodist Church at the corner of Main and Church Streets. Wednesday, August 30^th, 9 am to 7 pm & Thursday, August 31^st, 9 am to 2 pm. There will be a $3.00/bag sale all day Thursday on clothing and linens. #33,34b

Wine and Water Colors

Sept. 9: Meet our resident artist Tracey, as she takes you through the steps of creating your own masterpiece! Joined by Kare our Sommelier, you are sure to have an enjoyable evening, full of laughter. Saturday, September 9^th from 6 to 9 pm. $35 per person, $20 for members. This is an adult only event. Location to be determined. Pre-registration requested www.howardchristensen.org, 616-675-3158. #33

Red Flannel Day Talent Show Tryouts

Sept. 13,20,28: Looking for talented kids of all ages. The Red Flannel Talent Show is searching for singers, vocal groups, dancers, instrumentalists and variety acts for the Red Flannel Day Talent Show on October 7^th. Come in and show us what you got. Tryouts on Wednesday, September 13^th and 20^th, Thursday September 28^th at 7:00 pm at the Kent Theatre, 8 N. Main St. Cedar Springs. Dress rehearsal will be Thursday, October 5^th. So, get together with friends and family and plan your act now. If you have any questions, or can’t make it on tryout day, please contact Len by email, len@laphoto.com or 231-750-2337. #33,34p

Rev. Nurya Love Parish

Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Belmont is happy to announce that the Rev. Nurya Love Parish has joined the church as part-time Priest-in-Charge.

Mother Nurya’s other work is co-founding Plainsong Farm, a farm and ministry in Rockford that grows food for people and people for God. The farm completed its first growing season in 2016 and received a Mission Enterprise Zone grant from the Episcopal Church. Among its ministries is Grow Christians (www.growchristians.org) a website which encourages and inspires families in the practice of faith.

Holy Spirit’s congregation looks forward to the blessings that Mother Nurya will bring to the church as well as to the community. Everyone is invited to attend Sunday worship at 10 a.m. The church is located at 1200 Post Drive NE in Belmont, at the corner of Post and Pine Island drives.

Prior to her current ministry, Mother Nurya served St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Grand Rapids, as their associate priest from 2011 to 2016. She has been in ministry since 1997, when she moved to Michigan as a church planter following graduation from Harvard Divinity School and ordination as a Christian pastor in the Unitarian Universalist Association. She later served Fountain Street Church in downtown Grand Rapids. A decade ago Mother Nurya left her prior denomination, joined the Episcopal Church, and was ordained to the priesthood in 2011.

Mother Nurya lives in Ada with her husband and children.

The Episcopal Church is part of the Anglican Communion, and is comprised of 109 dioceses in 16 nations. The Anglican Communion is the gathering of Anglican and Episcopal churches from around the world. Today, the Anglican Communion comprises more than 80 million members in 44 regional and national member churches in more than 160 countries. The vibrancy of the Anglican Communion reflects the lives of its congregants and their commitment to God’s mission in the world.

The Rev. David Meyers

Holy Spirit Episcopal Church

1200 Post Dr., Belmont, MI  49306

This article is written at the beginning of the season of Pentecost. Pentecost begins on the 50th day after Easter. The season occupies most of the remainder of the calendar year and celebrates the birth, action, and mission of the church. We know Pentecost primarily as the time in which the Holy Spirit visited the disciples in the form of tongues of fire. The Spirit’s presence gave them understanding and power to do the mission of Christ. They emerged from a state of disorganization to a position of knowledge and power. A group of ragtag followers received an identity out of which the gospel took root and made an impact on the world.

There is, however, another form of Pentecost that is less well known.  A much older celebration occurred among the Hebrew people as the feast of Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks. In the Jewish tradition, Pentecost or Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  Subsequently, the Hebrews developed the awareness that they were the people of God. As Easter and Passover are celebrated at the same time, so are the two Pentecosts.

The two feasts of Pentecost follow a pattern. In both, the people were lost. They were waiting and wandering. In both, God gave the gift of himself, in the word and in flame. The presence of God in the lives of the followers resulted in a new identity in both cases. The people understood that God had chosen them and, in return, they dedicated themselves to God.

These two major Pentecosts might be prototypes to an ongoing cycle of Pentecosts. These major events are, at some level, enacted in the life of each individual.  We all have our personal Pentecosts. For wanderers seeking God, there will be events in which God visits with a gift. That gift might be miraculous or might be seen in kindness, goodness, relationship, or sacrament. When people receive that gift and are aware of the presence of God, then new things happen. Dedication, faithfulness, change, and even rebirth all can be the result.

Friends, we are all wanderers. Even those with a strong belief system, find themselves occasionally groping in the dark. The task is to be attentive to God. Look for those gifts through which God visits and invites his people. When awareness of the gift occurs, then life is transformed and new identity awakens.

The Rev. David Meyers

Holy Spirit Episcopal Church

1200 Post Dr., Belmont, MI  49306

Here, in the darkest, coldest part of the year, our mailbox is filled with names such as Gurney, Burpee, White, and Jung. For non-gardeners, these are popular seed companies. Their catalogues come with vibrant colors, promising great harvests and bouquets that make a florist weep. Sitting indoors, retreating from the weather, these colorful publications present tempting future possibilities. While it is dark and snowy right now, it will not stay that way forever. While we huddle from the cold, the catalogues prompt us to look ahead and plan for the seemingly impossible warmth of summer. Some would say, “Look around—why even think of summer?” Others say, “The cold and dark are only temporary and cannot resist the anticipation of the coming season.”

Isn’t that also true of life? Just when it is darkest, when we shiver from a chilled spirit, when our hearts are broken, a little light peeks through, reminding us that life is not all poverty, despair, and tragedy. There is the horizon of distant hope, whose roots take hold in the darkest times and grow until they again overcome the present and bring the fullness of life. That does not mean the darkness can easily be ignored or that it will depart forever. The worst continues to compete for our attention. Coldness will return. It is a part of life. But keeping focused on that sliver of light, however small, will allow a strengthened spirit to melt the burden of concern and sorrow.

The church is half way through the season of Epiphany; the season of light and good news breaking forth upon the earth. Just when the days were darkest—literally and figuratively—God broke in. A small but indomitable light was born in the form of the Christ child. That light, appearing to a lost world, gave a reason to hope and the relief that all was not dead. The Magi from the East introduced a new idea for the whole world. Other characters in the story carried that light to distant places.  And even in our own time, Epiphany brings the light of grace, shining forth to conquer the darkness in the furthest corners of the globe. The Epiphany vision of redemption introduced the idea that God’s promise was not only for a few but, through the inextinguishable light, the whole earth would enjoy the mercies of reconciliation.

Seed catalogues are the beginning of new life. It is time to dream and imagine what our gardens will look like, having renewed energy to push through the dark. Jesus is like those seeds. He brings the inspiration of a new world. His followers place their order, get the seed of life, and plant it wherever God’s plan can be fulfilled. The purpose of every person is to carry the seed of light to the world until it becomes the redeemed and transformed garden of love.

The Rev. David Meyers

Holy Spirit Episcopal Church

1200 Post Dr., Belmont, MI  49306

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I stopped at one of the many harvest markets in the area. Committed to supporting our local farmers and orchardists, we loaded up our car with all sorts of goodies. One of our purchases was a nice bunch of Indian corn. What lovely reds, oranges, blacks and yellows on those ears! With careful arranging, a nice bow, and florist wire, it looked beautiful hanging outside, next to our back door.

This week, as I was backing out of the driveway, a big, beautiful, bold blue jay swooped down from the trees and landed on that prized bunch of corn. He thought we had sent out invitations and prepared a feast for him. Upon closer look, I noticed this was not his first visit. One of the ears was entirely stripped of kernels. While I was tempted to shoo the bird away, I started chuckling at the lesson of the blue jay.

What better use for that beautiful decoration than to feed God’s creatures? Sometimes we put much thought into the frills and decorations of our lives, forgetting that there could be more important needs. I know I like to adorn my life with extras and luxuries, occasionally forgetting that some others are concerned with basic survival. That is not to deny the validity of beauty in our lives. “Art for art’s sake” is a legitimate goal. It is important, however, to examine what we have and how we employ it. Maybe we treasure too many things that could be put to better use. This is an important question that should be asked, knowing that there are wonderful resources in our cupboards, our buildings, in our bank accounts. It is prudent to weigh the private satisfaction our possessions provide with the possibility that God may have another idea—a higher purpose.

The Gospels talk about not burying our talents, not keeping our lights under a bushel, not letting our salt lose its taste. Jesus told us if we had a couple of coats, we should give one away to the person who has none. Those are pretty important lessons. People easily get overly focused on the fluff of life. Christians have to be mindful of the stewardship of possessions. We have to ask ourselves, “Where will the corn do the most good?”

I know I got more pleasure watching that old blue jay gobble up my Indian corn than I ever did when it hung quietly on the side of the house.

The Rev. David Meyers

Holy Spirit Episcopal Church

1200 Post Dr., Belmont, MI  49306

I was in the doctor’s office the other day and the appointments were backed up. The wait was much longer than usual. After perusing the scattered magazines, I made a mental shift. Instead of succumbing to growing irritation, I decided to make the most of the time of waiting. Mentally, I made a list of the jobs I had to do. Then I checked off the things that needed to be done to get my house in order. I did some financial accounting and then I checked my prayer list. I remembered all the friends, family members, social issues, and church concerns I had committed to pray for. It seemed as if the time passed at a rapid pace and then my number was called. The wait was over.

Dear friends, we are now in the first week of Advent—the season of emergence, of coming forth, of appearing.  We have four weeks to wait for Christmas. In our church, we stubbornly oppose the cultural norm of rushing Christmas. The deep blue colors and reflective mood are anticipatory, but restrained. There will be no decorations until just before the 25^th. The words of Isaiah, Jesus, and John the Baptist help flesh out the time.  They guide us through the wait.

Time with God can be bent in so many ways. Even as we await the celebration of the coming of Messiah in the form of a child, we anticipate the coming of Christ in great power and glory.  Both happen at the same time. Both are comprehensive, both are cosmic. The nature of the wait depends on the understanding of the event.

As people grow older, they begin to understand that the appearing of Christ may be individual instead of a worldwide event.  The wait is a useful time to get the house in order, to make sure that jobs are finished, and accounts balance. The act of simplifying helps the wait go smoothly.

Of course, as children, we did not understand the deeper meaning of the season. Waiting was so hard! Little people, literally abuzz with excited energy, know that a great celebration is approaching. They can barely eat while they tick off the days. For them, the wait is torture.

For younger adults, the wait is more trying. Demands of time and purse result in the feeling that the wait is actually too short!  How can it all be accomplished? Or rather, why must is all be accomplished? So much is pressing that the wait does not lead to peaceful understanding. It is time that demands to be filled.

Wherever you find yourself, remember that the wait has a purpose. It teaches us that we are not in charge of time. The Messiah comes when he chooses. No amount of stress can make the days go faster. Preparation, however, can make the days more meaningful. Take some time in these next weeks to be quiet. Sit back and close your eyes. In the midst of the immediate hubbub, take a personal inventory. Is your spiritual house in order? Are accounts balanced? Are the necessary jobs completed? Are you ready to welcome the Christ Child, the Messiah as your guest?