JEFFREY SWAINSTON, CHAPLAIN
872 S. Waverly Road
Eaton Rapids, MI 48827
(616) 405-6921
revjeff82@gmail.com
"COME TO ME, ALL WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST." - MATTHEW 11:28 IN MEMORIAM 2014
Geraldine Bailey - North Adrian #721
Philip Clipfell - Colon #215
James Hazel - Home #129
George Huffman - Home #129
Margaret Wetzel - Home #129
Richard Kelley - Rome #293
Kenneth Murray - Fredonia #1713
Rita Orlowski - Barnard Grange #689
Doris Ely - Lime Creek Grange #712
Marge Wagner - Summit City Grange #672
Gary Hallock - Burns Grange #160
Mary Carson - Burns Grange #160
Dick Wooters - Summit City Grange #672
Alvin Thelen - Capitol Grange #540
Jerry Dennert - Oceana Center Grange #1047
Alice Beebe - Rome Grange #293
Charles Johnson - North Adrian Grange #721
David Armstrong - Adams Grange #286
IN MEMORIAM 2013
Ed Schwartz - Fredonia #1713
Joanie Miller - Fredonia #1713
Eva Grant - Home #129
Esther Pfister - Rome #293
June Ohlman - North Adrian #721
John Baldwin - Oceana Center #1047
Margaret Beardslee - Community #1675
E. Marie Dean - Summit City #672
Eva Grant - Home #129
Ruth Strebbing - Plymouth/Westand #389
Donna Jean Hauri - Studley #1174
Dean Yoder - Torch Lake #1840
Vivian Foor - North Adrian #721
Jody Barnes - Gratiot #1898
Peg Brown - Burr Oak #1350
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 GRANGE NEWS
Sometimes we resist change because we are comfortable with what we know. Yet the changing seasons remind us that God is present in every season of our lives, not only in the bright, warm seasons, but also in times of transition, uncertainty, and letting go.
As we move from summer into fall, may we welcome the changes God is bringing into our lives. May we have the wisdom to know what to hold onto, the courage to let go of what needs to fall away, and the faith to trust that God is preparing something new.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” ~Ecclesiastes 3:1~
From Summer to Fall
As summer slowly gives way to fall, we are reminded that change is a natural part of God’s creation. The days become shorter, the air grows cooler, and the leaves begin to change from green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. What looks like an ending is actually part of a greater rhythm of renewal.
Sometimes we resist change because we are comfortable with what we know. Yet the changing seasons remind us that God is present in every season of our lives, not only in the bright, warm seasons, but also in times of transition, uncertainty, and letting go.
As we move from summer into fall, may we welcome the changes God is bringing into our lives. May we have the wisdom to know what to hold onto, the courage to let go of what needs to fall away, and the faith to trust that God is preparing something new.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” ~Ecclesiastes 3:1~
JULY/AUGUST 2026 GRANGE NEWS
Summer has a way of forcing us to slow down. While we may or may not appreciate the heat, it reminds us that even our bodies need rest, water, and time to recover.
Our spiritual lives are no different. Jesus often stepped away from the crowds to pray and encouraged His disciples to "come away...and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). In a world that constantly tells us to keep moving, God invites us to pause, breathe, and spend time in His presence.
Perhaps this summer's heat can become a holy reminder. Every time you reach for a glass of water or seek a patch of shade, remember that Christ offers living water to satisfy our deepest thirst and His presence to refresh weary souls.
May we find moments this summer to slow down, rest in God's grace, and be renewed for the work He has called us to do.
Too Hot to Hurry
There are certain things we simply don't do in the heat of summer. We don't sprint across a parking lot in flip-flops. We don't leave chocolate in the car. And we quickly learn that mowing the lawn at two o'clock in the afternoon is probably not our brightest idea!
Summer has a way of forcing us to slow down. While we may or may not appreciate the heat, it reminds us that even our bodies need rest, water, and time to recover.
Our spiritual lives are no different. Jesus often stepped away from the crowds to pray and encouraged His disciples to "come away...and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). In a world that constantly tells us to keep moving, God invites us to pause, breathe, and spend time in His presence.
Perhaps this summer's heat can become a holy reminder. Every time you reach for a glass of water or seek a patch of shade, remember that Christ offers living water to satisfy our deepest thirst and His presence to refresh weary souls.
May we find moments this summer to slow down, rest in God's grace, and be renewed for the work He has called us to do.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ~ Psalm 46:1 ~
