I am loving the tree in the courtyard in front of the church right now.  What a show of beautiful clusters of white blossoms!  Look what a little rain and sunshine can do.

A little investigation leads me to believe the tree is some kind of an ornamental pear.  I’ll bet someone can tell me more exactly.  There’s also a brass plaque in the ground beneath the tree that says, “Come rest awhile and be at peace” with the name L. George Melnick and the dates, 1930-1993.  I’m not familiar with the name George Melnick.  Can anyone tell me who he was?  I’m guessing the plaque dedication refers to the benches around the tree, perhaps they were installed in 1993?  I wonder when the tree was planted?

One of the realities of a church I’m highly sensitive to, is that our building and grounds tell stories about who we are and what we value.  For visitors and new folks these silent clues may speak even more loudly than our words.  Our gorgeous tree front and center, tells me this church values nature and beauty.  The plaque beneath says that we honor the contributions of our members.  The message on the plaque tells me that we hope our church can be a place of rest in a fast-paced world.  The outdoor benches say that we want to offer our church and its gifts to our neighbors as well as ourselves.