We are heading into the month where all of celebrations of our 100th anniversary as a congregation will burst into full bloom. We hope that you can join in spirit of this celebration in ways that are meaningful to you and that increase the depth of your understanding of how Memorial got to this moment in our continuing story.
Sunday, May 14 – The first visible signs of our celebration will appear. There will be rainbow flag out front and hands you traced will reach out in ever-widening circles around the sanctuary.
Sunday, May 21 – We’ll invite the wider community to join our celebration with “Sundaes on Sunday.” Kelly and Bill Jetzer are leading this with help from our confirmation students and others. We’ll serve sundaes outside the church from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and invite visitors to take a look inside if they are interested. There will be banners on the roof of the church announcing our anniversary.
Sunday, May 28 – In honor of Memorial Day weekend and remembering all those in the life of Memorial who served our country in many and varied ways, we’ll have American flags along the terrace next to Lacy Road.
Sunday, June 4 – This is the day of the big celebration. As you arrive, you’ll see the vivid colors on our trees that have been yarn-bombed. Here’s what’s planned:
Worship at 9:30 a.m. – On this Pentecost Sunday, you will hear original musical compositions by Adam Dachman (“100 Years) and Michael Bryant (“Cornerstone”) and we will all join in a couple of the hymns that have anchored Memorial across the decades. Retired pastors Rev. Jon Schultz and Rev. Bonnie Van Overbeke will do the scripture readings. Rev. Franz Rigert, the leader of the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ will be preaching. We will present our Centennial Outreach Fund check to Linda Ketcham from Madison-area Urban Ministry. We will share communion
Program at 10:30 a.m. – We will take about a half hour for a program looking at our past and a bit at our future. The centerpiece of this will be a video of our history made by Michael Bryant (and it will be available in a variety of forms for later viewing along with extended interviews of several folks from Memorial).
Potluck at 11 a.m. – Of course there will be food! And in the best Memorial tradition, we’ll share the folks would like to bring to the meal. There is a sign-up sheet in the niche for people to choose what category of food they would like to bring.
Centennial booklets – We will have booklets available that tell the history of Memorial as well as the stories and photos of those who are part our community now.