Good morning family,

I pray you are well despite our fall-like weather! A few things to share as we roll into our weekend:

Mother’s Day. I pray the Lord blessed each of you and that you celebrated Mother’s Day in your own way. Last Sunday’s sermon from John 19:25-27 was entitled "Magnificent Mothers, Missing Mothers, and the Master’s Hands." The sermon asked us to recognize that there is a wide range of mothering that takes place in all of our lives. We have all types of mothers . . . From the "magnificent mothers" like Mary in this text–who she is with Christ during his most trying moments–to the sad but real truth that some of us who have experienced "missing mothers," "absent mothers" or even neglectful mothers and everything in between.

Regardless of where our mothers fell or have fallen on the spectrum, there comes a point in time where they are unable to do for us. Psalm 27:10 even informs us that our mother and father are destined to forsake us–we are all human and fall short. But, we see also in this narrative that the Master, Jesus, restores, reconciles and remakes broken families. While hanging on the cross and looking at his mother, the Master creates a new family relationship between the Mary and the disciple whom Jesus loved. The pain and sorrow would be real but in the Master’s hands even families can be redesigned, restored and recreated. I pray you see in your life how the Lord honors old families and reshapes new ones. . . . "Magnificent Mothers, Missing Mothers, and the Master’s Hands."

NAMI Walk. Join us today at the lakefront (hopefully the weather will warm up and the sun will shine) as we walk to raise awareness about mental illness. Annually the church participates in the NAMI Walk. Join us at Veterans’ Park val<a href="mailto:valejoy. Details: Veteran’s Park, Lincoln Memorial Drive. McKinley Entrance (lagoon drive). Check inat 9:30 a.m.Programat 10:30 a.m.Walk Steps offat 11 a.m

Women’s Day. Make sure to join us on Sunday for our Women’s Day service. Our dynamic preacher for this day will be Pastor Roxanne Cardenas from Tangible Word Ministries, Inc. We will also be joined briefly by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett as he shares some of the city’s plans to reduce violence in the city on what he has called "CeaseFire Sabbath.

Church CleanupFriends and Family Day. Make sure to join us next weekend for our Church Spring Cleanup and Friends and Family Day. The cleanup will be on Saturday, May 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. On Sunday, make sure to invite friends and family to celebrate our Friends and Family Day at Progressive. We will have a wonderful day of service. Please feel free to wear denim as we raise awareness about human sex trafficking and your Progressive T-shirts. Should be a wonderful day of worship and afterwards we will have a meal downstairs.

Bible Study. Join us for Wednesday Bible study at 12 pm or 6:45 pm as we explore "Community, Conflict, and Reconciliation" in the Church. Read Acts 6:1-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 l; and 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 and join us on May 24. A link to the Bible study is attached here and copies are also available in the church lobby. http://wjlanier.com/2017/05/20/conflict-community-reconciliation-bible-studyacts-61-7-2-corinthians-517-21-1-corinthians-31-9/

God’s peace and blessings to you.

In love,

Pastor
pastorlanier
progressivebaptistmilwaukee.org