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(Pictures can be 'clicked on' to enlarge.)

Ian M. installs a Rainbow to be visible to the West and South.

Sometime last year it was brought up in the Outreach Committee that even though Summerlea had been an Affirming Congregation for several years now, we weren't sure if anyone else (i.e. in the community outside the congregation) knew that! Or even knew what it meant to be an "Affirming Congregation."
We felt it was finally time to "come out of the closet" and let the world know.
Visually. And with Pride.

What better way than to Raise Our Colours.

Hence, four Summerlea folk chipped in and we bought ourselves two Beautiful Flags.
So this Affirming Sunday, before Church, we Raised Our Flags!
And they are both now, we hope, permanent reminders of where we stand as a congregation.

John O. installs a Rainbow to be visible to the East.

To be an Affirimg Congregation requires a committment to "colour outside the lines" and hence the service began with a wonderfully appropriate introit from More Voices.

The congregation joins in for the chorus:

My Love Colours Outside the Lines

"We'll never walk on water if we're not prepared to drown,
body and soul need a soaking from time to time.
and we'll never move the gravestones if we're not prepared to die,
and realize there are worlds outside the lines."

Galations 3:23-29
(Read by John Osborne)

Luke 7:1-10
(Read by John Osborne)

The Winding Path that Led to Summerlea

Wearing his red ordination stole,
Scott stepped away from the lectern,
outside his normal comfort zone and without his usual notes,
to tell his story.
It is worth a listen:

The Winding Path

Choral Response:
Come, O Holy Spirit

(Ron Klusmeier)

It may have been my imagination
but it seemed to me that at the end
of the formal service, the familiar common blessing
by Nancy Price & Don Besig was sung with just a little bit of extra oomph!

Go Out and Serve Him

After the Common Blessing we all trooped outside for a special dedication by Scott
of the newly installed Rainbow Flags.
(Unfortunately I didn't capture Scott's dedication with the recorder.)

Back inside, Scott does the honours cutting the celebratory cake.

Happy chaos ensued!!