Hello friends!
In my last post, I was preparing for my professional development trip to Chicago. If you were with us in worship on May 5, you heard most of my reflections. If you were not with us in worship that day, you can participate retroactively in that service by visiting https://www.mysolomonsucc.org/livestream. 😉 The theme of my program was all about seeing congregational vitality despite a constant narrative of church decline. Yes, the church (nationally and locally) is not what it used to be. But that may just be where its new life will come from! In short, our congregation has vitality. We are strong and active! We have energy! We are doing SO MUCH with the resources, time, and personpower we have. What a testament to God’s faithfulness, and to what God can do with and through a group of people willing to say, “Sure! Let’s try it!” We are looking forward to a fun summer! Our garden is expanding and veggies are growing. Our butterfly garden is coming to fruition. Our solar panels are in the works. Weekends of Wonder continues to be a fun and vibrant ministry for our kids. I will be offering a summer Bible Study (with the help of a scholar I LOVE learning from!). We have a New Franklin area picnic on August 11 (mark your calendars!) and other neat outreaches in the pipeline. We’re opening our building and grounds to the community as a sweet little wedding venue. Friends, we are teeming with life at Solomon’s UCC! If you’re not involved in one of our many ministries, I encourage you to get in touch. We’re doing some really cool things and I would love for you to be part of the one (or more!) that interests you most! As school breaks for the summer, as vacations are planned, as grills are lit, pools are opened, and sunscreen abounds, I pray you see the vitality in your own life. I pray you notice how God has been, is, and will be at work in and around you. I pray for your awareness of the blessings that you have and that you will receive. I pray for joy, delight, contentment, and excitement. I pray for the encouragement of the Holy Spirit to be with you always. When I was a kid, summer was always the time I felt most at peace with myself and with the world. (Actually, that’s still true…) Amid all the summer fun, may you find peace, too. God be with you! – Pastor Julia Comments are closed.
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