Today’s Musings will be short but (bitter)sweet.

I will start by making another plea for help. While there are still two more weeks left for The Joy of Red & White quilt exhibit (if you haven’t heard, we’re extending it so that it will still be up for any ladies traveling to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Convention in Cape Girardeau who want to swing by and see it), we are already gearing up for what’s coming next.

Our next exhibit will be Faith and Freedom: Church Picnics Through the Years.

For generations, church picnics were about far more than fried chicken and homemade ice cream. They were reunions, fundraisers, homecomings, and community celebrations. They brought together congregations, schools, families, and neighbors beneath shade trees and pavilion roofs. In many ways, they helped shape the social and cultural life of Lutheran communities just as much as what happened inside the church building on Sunday morning.

That is exactly the kind of everyday history our museum seeks to preserve — not just major events and famous names, but the traditions and memories that formed the rhythm of community life.

How can you help? If you are local and have any memorabilia from picnics that you would be willing to let us borrow, we would love to hear from you. Not local? Don’t worry — there’s still a way you can help. If you have photographs from church picnics in Perry County through the years, we would love to display them. Of course, we will gladly take pictures from local folks as well; we just didn’t want those who no longer live here to feel left out! You can email us scans of the pictures, or, if you are in the area, bring them by and we will scan them for you.

That was the sweet part; now for the bitter part.

My husband, John, has accepted the position of Academic Dean at Luther Classical College in Casper, Wyoming. Because of that, we will be relocating later this summer, and my time here as Director will be coming to an end.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and the museum — along with everyone associated with it — will always hold a very special place in my heart. We have not yet set a firm timeline for the move, so I will still be around for several more weeks at least.

Now I’m off to work on the projects that I promised the Board I would have finished before I leave!

Until next week! Denise Hellwege, Director