A MESSAGE FROM RUSS

Welcome Words for Summer

It can only be found in one of the gospels, in an aside as an introduction to the feeding of the five thousand. Slow down – there it is, Mark 6:31: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” I love it! Not only do we get to see the real, human side of Jesus and the disciples, but we have an antidote to our Calvinist work-ethic. Who says we have to work all the time? Even Jesus and the disciples took a break at least once.

Every summer, in almost every church, a great debate ensues: Should we continue Sunday school over the summer? Do we want to give the impression that the church takes a vacation? The implied answers are ‘yes’ and ‘no’ respectively. To which I say, NO and YES!

Our teachers, assistants, and students work hard all year long and deserve a break. No, they need a break. They need a change of routine, a change of scenery, a change of perspective. They need a time to relax and absorb all that they have been learning, perhaps a time to put it all into practice.

And yes, our Sunday school is unapologetically taking a vacation, while worship continues every week. Is the church taking a vacation? No, just a part of our program is resting. The center of our life together, weekly worship, continues, and we hope that in between trips to the shore or mountains families will be able to join us once in a while.

So without guilt go away and rest a while this summer! When you are in town, stop by and join us for worship (one service at 9:30). When you are away, enjoy God’s gifts of creation and family, find time to give thanks, and tell us all about it when you return.

I hope this summer is relaxing and re-creative for you (even as I look forward to our being settled in a new house in Connecticut and my apartment here in Yorktown). Let’s keep each other in our prayers.


Russ

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