Dear Friends,
You likely never heard of nineteen-year-old William Spickard. William is a member of the church we attend, is a big football fan, and lives with Down’s Syndrome.
Nearly a year ago our pastor invited William to join him at the front of the church to assist with communion. Proud as could be, William ran to the front of the church and stood beside our pastor as the bread and wine were distributed.
Our church celebrates communion weekly, and William interpreted this initial invitation to help serve as an ongoing assignment. Every Sunday since.
But last week I learned something else. I had noticed that when communion was completed and William ran back up the aisle to sit with his parents, he moved his arms over his head in a motion that looked as if he was dumping something over us. And he was!
William’s parents told me how much it meant to their son to be sharing in the service. But what William loves most is running up the aisle after the communion service and symbolically dumping Gatorade over the congregation as sign of triumph and victory… just like his sports heroes do.
This football season you will see Gatorade dumped over winning coaches… but none dumped more joyously or so permanently as the love of God that has been dumped over each of us… and reenacted by William.
“…hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts…” Romans 5:5
Enjoy the season and the celebration that is yours.
~Wynn