We will soon dedicate the newly remodeled Lucille Larson Youth Education Center, or the “Upper Room,” as we are starting to call it. The upper room is described in Acts 1:12-14 as a place where Jesus gathered his disciples (men and women) for rest, renewal and prayer. Meals were also shared in this upper room (Mark 14:15 and Luke 22:12).

This is our vision for our own Rainbow Upper Room: a place for youth to gather, play, rest, share food, and learn about Jesus.

This week I tried to imagine young Lucille Larson, born in 1925. Did Lucille spend time in this space learning about Jesus from her Methodist teachers and parents? If so, I wonder which stories and experiences inspired her to become who she was, someone who cared deeply for the nurture of young lives?

We will have a chance to learn more about Lucille Larson and her family this coming Sunday as we seek to be good stewards of her sense of mission. The plan is this:

Towards the end of worship we will join in a litany of dedication. Then people will have an opportunity to go upstairs to see the rooms. A slideshow of the project will be available in Fellowship Hall for those who don’t make it upstairs. At noon we will gather in Fellowship Hall for some storytelling and a potluck meal. We expect to have a large group of Larson family members joining us, so please bring plenty of food to share!

Special thanks to Jesse Graber for this sketch of Lucille.

Look for the framed tribute on Sunday!