This summer Pastor Gene McAfee invited everyone who likes to be outdoors, to study outdoors, to eat lunch outdoors, to pray outdoors, and to walk outdoors to join him for a series of six pilgrimages in the park to read, discuss, pray, and explore God's natural world and our relationship to it. Participants gathered at 10:30 a.m. on six Thursdays at the Kelly Picnic Area of the Euclid Creek Reservation in South Euclid to read the Bible and various writers on creation; pray and meditate for and about creation; have a 2- to 3-mile walk; and enjoy fellowship and a bag lunch.

Gene reports:

I thought the series was overall successful in incorporating study of the Bible and writers about creation with being in a less-built environment while engaged in that study. The nearness of the created order deepened our awareness of some of the things we pray for when we pray to be good stewards of creation. Our time of fellowship over lunch, as well as the increasingly long walks following lunch, gave us time to reconnect with one another and explore further some of the ideas that surfaced during our study. The walks also introduced the first regular physical activity that is part of the church program since I've been at Faith.

Topics included:

• June 24: Prayers, Parks, Pilgrimages, and Thinkers
• July 1: Pilgrims at Euclid Creek: Nature as Creation
• July 8: From Domination to Identification: "plain members and citizens"
• July 22: Death Is Not the Enemy: The Life Cycle in Creation
• July 29: The Redemption of Nature
• August 5: Garden and City:  Creation and Christian Hope

Dearest friends at Faith,
 
This is a hard letter to write.  When I began work as the director of CEYF, I knew that it wouldn't be a permanent position, given my training for ordained ministry.  However, I'd expected to spend at least a couple of years at Faith before a call was extended to me. 
 
Recently, though, I received a call to a full-time ordained associate pastor position at David's UCC in Kettering, Ohio.  I have accepted this position, which will consist of  3/4 ministry with youth and families and 1/4 of regular pastoral duties.  David's needs me to begin May 2, so I will be resigning my position at Faith as of April 30.  I will be working with the Faith Formation Ministry to assure that things go smoothly after I leave.
 
While I am very excited about the prospect of entering into full-time ordained ministry, it is a bittersweet excitement.  I love serving this congregation of amazingly wonderful people, so I hate to leave.  I wish to extend my gratitude for the enthusiasm with which you have welcomed me and the generosity you have shown in supporting the Faith Formation program here at Faith.  I couldn't have asked for a better experience.  I hope that you will stay in touch and will consider attending my service of ordination at Dover UCC in Westlake in July.
 
Blessings,
Daria