From the Pastor: The Yellow Buses

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

For learning about wisdom and instruction, for understanding words of insight,
for gaining instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity;
to teach shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and prudence to the young—
let the wise, too, hear and gain in learning and the discerning acquire skill,
to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.
~Proverbs 1:1-6

Dear friends,

Here they come! The yellow buses are just about ready to take our young people to the places of learning. When I was a child, the beginning of September was always exciting. It usually meant new shoes and uniforms, and always a binder of some sort, in the right color, with pens, pencils, a ruler… the full kit for what might happen that year. Would there be geometry? The list included a protractor. Would there be dissection? The paperwork we brought home included a permission slip. It was the newness of the school year I loved (right up through seminary, to tell the truth). New classes, new teachers, maybe even new friends.

I still feel that excitement when I think about September and our lives together in church. The plans for worship our wonderful team will make together; the music we will choose; the new things we may try(!), always in the hope that worship will be enriched for all of us.

This year my excitement includes plans for Sunday School for Kindergartners through 6th grade. There is definitely room for new enrollees! Please let us know by calling the church office if you have a youngster or grandchild who might enjoy and benefit from being with other youngsters two Sundays each month, for a time of learning and fun.

If the bug for learning bites you as summer turns to fall, don’t forget that we also host Bible Study each Tuesday. Our first fall meeting will be on September 8 at 11:00 AM, in the downstairs Meeting Room, and the passages we read will be Psalm 13 and Matthew 18:10-13. In addition, Sue Troy leads “A Course in Miracles” on Wednesday mornings, entirely online. And finally, we have a wonderful book group that meets the third Wednesday of the month. Join us in one or all of these!

How do you feel about September? Do you recall sweet or sour memories of school days? Are you relieved to anticipate cooler temperatures? Will there be new shoes in your future? Will it be a time of learning? We don’t need to limit our desire to learn to the academic year, but September can be a beautiful time of remembering how good that can feel, and to open our hearts and our books.

Grace and Peace,

Rev. Pat Raube