Each Sunday the atmosphere of the sanctuary is enhanced by a cluster of beautiful blooms placed on the retable. Members and visitors enter the sanctuary week after week seeing a fresh arrangement placed in honor of loved ones. Immediately, our hearts are filled with joy from taking in the array of bright colors and sweet soft scent of a bit of nature brought indoors. I see smiles on the faces of those seated in the pews as they admire the elegance of the flowers. Some even take a moment at the end of a service to step up closer and drink in the delicious smell of roses, lilies, mums, and freesia.
The services end each week but the joy brought by the flowers has just begun. A small team of volunteers take turns breaking down the large arrangement into multiple smaller arrangements to be delivered to members Sunday afternoons. But why?
If only I could perfectly describe the gratitude on a recipient's face when they open their door and are greeted by a volunteer holding a small arrangement made up of the same flowers from the service earlier that day. “You brought those for me? You thought of ME? You remembered ME?” We reply, “Yes, we remember you. We care about you, we treasure you, and we want to share our joy with YOU.”
Feelings of isolation, loneliness, sadness, and doubt can easily take over when one is not able to come to church for worship. While we have many online viewers worshiping from home, there is still a sense of a lost connection. The visits that accompany the delivery of a small arrangement bring that connection back and let others know we care and they are not forgotten.
We often receive notes expressing appreciation for these small tokens of love. Here are a few quotes from these notes:
"Yesterday I admired the flowers while attending Church remotely. What a delight to receive some of those via the Flower Committee” • “Having them here will vastly improve my state of mind” • “The colors were beautiful and lit up my living room” • “I am so grateful to the Church for its loving care” • “You brightened my day” • “They are the first thing people see as they enter my apartment”
Sure, it is just a few flowers. But such a simple gesture means so very much. And it is not only the recipients that feel uplifted, but the volunteers too. We often hear that it is better to give than to receive. The warmth of sharing a few moments with someone that receives an arrangement fills our spirits with God’s love. It simply feels good to know you brought happiness to another child of God.
In 2022
256 arrangements were created and delivered to our members by a small group of volunteers.
256 times our volunteers appeared on the doorsteps of our congregation members to give a bit of their time to share God’s love.
256 times someone opened their door and felt the love of God through a simple act.
A couple hours of our time on a Sunday means the world to the handful of members each week that receive arrangements and a visit. Could you give a couple of hours of your time to share God’s love? Would you knock on someone’s door with a few flowers and say, “We care.” We need your help. Join our group of volunteers. Contact Joane Bozek, Cherie Brown, Linda Stewart, Jeri Hardy, Margie Ambrose, Ellen D’Orsogna, Jackie Ward, Laura Bechtler, Robin Sabo, Ann Schulte, Carolyn Lodzieski, Sue Rennagel, Ruth Cobb, Regina Thek and Nancy Miller, or anyone from the Flower Sharing Mission to hear what Flower Sharing has meant to them and how you can be a part of this touching ministry too.
