It’s a world record. At 35 feet tall, Charlie Babich has grown the tallest sunflower in the backyard of his home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The flower is named “Clover” and was recently measured for the Guinness World Records. It’s as tall as most power poles. A trellis helps hold it up.

Charlie immigrated to the United States in 1992 from Ukraine at 14 years old after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The sunflower is the national symbol of peace in Ukraine. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Charlie’s commitment to growing sunflowers deepened. The sunflower is a statement and symbol of the hope for peace. And at 35 feet it stands out.

Charlie is also spreading hope. Like “Johnny Appleseed,” he and his family have begun planting sunflower seeds in various campsites they visit. And he hands out sunflower seed packets to various sunflower festivals he visits. He believes it’s hard not to feel better when you see a field of sunflowers. With eleven sunflower paintings, Van Gogh believed the same thing.

This has been a difficult week. As I write it’s the week of 9/11. And so those memories come back. And 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a political rally for college students at Utah Valley University. And my heart is still heavy over the shooting of children through a window at a Christian worship service in Minneapolis.

Violence and death are not just in national news. It also happens in our community. It seems that much too often disagreements devolve into violence and death. The grim news is reported in the Herald.

One of the many wise and faithful things Fred Rogers shared with children was that in scary times, “Look for the helpers.” It’s easy to be overwhelmed with the dark. But Fred’s point is that there are always people who share the light. There are always people in the midst of the dark who have the courage and hope to do what’s good.

And so this week I’m thankful to read about Charlie Babich and sunflowers. He’s doing his part to be a “helper.” And this coming Sunday is Mission Sunday at 1st Church. So we will hear about “helpers” in 1st Church and the community who do what is good. And my 8 year old grandson Peter is spending the night with me. I’m sure we will be “helpers” for each other.

“You are the light of the world.” – Matthew 5:13

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” – Romans 12:21

Looking for Sunflowers (and Helpers),

Glenn