Dear friends -
The only thing that gets me through the end of summer blues is how much I love fall. You can feel it in the air just a smidge these days, even though the pollen count is high enough to torture some of us. There are the lightest beginnings of orange on the tallest maple on our block. Social media is a long series of backpack photos with all the back-to-school excitement.
The surest sign of fall for me is the way the church calendar shifts. We've been out and about in the world, but now we're gathering back together again. The choir is rehearsing, activities for all ages are back in gear or soon will be (youth group, the women's book club, men's group, adult ed, children's Sunday school), and group spiritual listening will be the 2nd Saturdays over the fall (9 am - all are welcome if you're interested in carving some quiet reflection space once a month in a supportive environment led by the pastors on zoom - try it!).
One new thing you'll see in the worship center is a new experiment we're trying: a prayground. Nope, I didn't spell it wrong - a PRAYground is a quiet space for children to be present and build muscles for worship while also being able to move and have access to churchplay, books, and quiet activities. I'm really excited for this new experiment as a way to support our families with young kiddos.
See you Sunday!
Jess