We gathered on Rally Day for a creation-themed Sunday worship service, the kickoff of Sunday school, a ministry/volunteer fair and ice cream social. Phew! It was a busy day and lots of fun as these photos attest.

Larry Williams cracks up Leah Lamon.

Sundae? Ice cream float? EMC teens scoop for however you like your ice cream.

Vanilla ice cream with a splash of orange soda—the perfect way to celebrate Rally Day!

This happy couple coordinated their black-and-white attire for Rally Day.

Robin Ray shares Membership & Marketing plans with Megan Gratzek.

1. Giving automatically is easy—and it supports our great church and our ministries even during the summer months.
2. You can set it and forget it—especially if it comes out of a significant other’s account.
3. While everyone else is scrambling for their wallets during the offering, you can relax and enjoy the special music.
4. You’ll never again have to rip a check out of your checkbook during a really quiet part of the service.
5. With fewer checks in the collection plate, we make more room for the loose change we give to local nonprofits. We hope you are convinced! Sign up here to begin.

Congratulations to the Morningside Theatre Company’s cast, crew and directors of 101 Dalmatians! And a special shout out to our own Jane Williams for her amazing leadership, creativity and much more! #roger&anita #pongo&perdita #cruella #adorbs

Join us for Ties That Bind, a summer worship series that focuses on our relationship with the Holy One and with each other. Come explore how such life-giving connections bind us together in loving community.

Three Sundays (10 a.m., indoors) in June:

• Shaping, June 11, Isaiah 64: 8–9
• Weaving, June 18, Genesis 1: 1–27
• Pouring, June 25, Ephesians 4: 25–5:2

Three Wednesdays (6 p.m., outdoors, dinner first) in July:

• Embracing, July 5, Psalm 133
• Moving, July 12, Galatians 5:15–26
• Lifting, July 19, John 13:1–17

Pastor Oby and his camera-shy dog, Ruthie, greeted participants in this week’s Morningside Theatre Camp and our EMC Preschool summer camp. He said he had lots of talks but forgot to collect nickels. With the beautiful weather we’re having, no doubt you’ll often find the pastor “in.”

Since March, EMC volunteers have been helping to prepare dinner once a month at Perspectives, a family-focused St. Louis Park nonprofit. This summer we’re signed up to volunteer three Thursday nights in July (7/6, 7/13, and 7/20), 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., in Ainsworth Park (7700 W. 28th Street).

As a volunteer, you might register participants; help out with basketball, kickball or yoga; set up crafts; hand out snacks; or clean up afterwards. In addition, on July 20, EMC is sponsoring the dinner, bringing about 150 all-beef hot dogs and buns plus fruit or chips for about 150 people.

EMC adults and kids can participate—in fact, all are welcome. Teen volunteers are particularly invited to volunteer on July 6; Pastor Oby promises an ice cream outing afterwards for teen volunteers. To sign up, call the office or send an email to emcucc@emcucc.org.

After worship, members are delighted to discover a floor mat filled with their children’s handprints; each handprinted window equals $100,000 raised so far. Amazing!

Following worship yesterday, capital campaign administrator Thom Miller announced great news: EMC members already have raised $607,000 toward our $800,000 goal.

A More Divine Design capital campaign is underway, not only to address deferred maintenance but to create a warmer welcome—one that will enable our congregation to flourish, to invite new members, to inspire current members, and to serve the community around us.

Each of the next three Sundays are Commitment Sundays. After each service, we will all be invited to fill out commitment cards to help us reach or even exceed our goal. There are numerous ways to give to this campaign. Some of us will spread out our gifts over three years; others of us will make planned gifts or make other arrangements.

For more information about A More Divine Design, click here. To give online now, visit this secure page.

Some of the construction, including shoring up the east wall, is well underway.

A construction worker stands atop scaffolding, just outside a church library window on a sunny April day.