Church Family

Last Sunday was Communion Sunday at our church.  As I stood in a close circle around the communion table with our pastor and others from our congregation and, later, as I sat in the pew watching others do the same thing, I felt a tremendous connection to the wonderful people who are my church family.  Feeling their openness, their kindness, their outward love for me and for others nearly brought me to tears.  It is with this group of people that I have shared all of the joys and sorrows of my entire life.  The First United Methodist Church in Baraboo is the only church to which I've ever been a member.  I was baptized, confirmed and married there.  It is there that we honored the memory of my dad and mom. The church and its members are my past and my present. And these days, with my parents both gone, no siblings, no children and my aunts, uncles and cousins living far away, these precious people and others from our community have become family to Larry and me.  And what a lovely family to have.