Dear Friends,

Our Sermon Series this August encouraged us to be Wise, Real, Different, and Brave. With children’s books and Scripture, we tried to see God and ourselves in a new way. In our Vacation Bible School, we were assured that when we feel Lonely / Lost, Worried, or Powerless, Jesus always rescues. He may not change the circumstances we face, but Jesus is always with us, and Jesus changes us.

What powerful lessons to fill the last month of summer! As I write, we are in the last few days before the rush of a new school year begins. The Sabbath Study class is nearly over, summer CORE is winding down, and the Garage Sale has been packed away. We have just completed our primary voting, and the campaigns for November have begun. Church plans for Fall are underway, with early prep for Sunday School, CORE, Wednesday Night Live, two Emmaus Walks at Bethany, and Fall Festival. And, in only a few more weeks (Sept. 19, to be precise) the first puck will drop for Red Wing preseason hockey. Time moves on. Sometimes, it seems to fly by. Other times, the minutes feel like hours. But, it moves on nonetheless, giving us daily opportunities to learn and grow.

What will you be seeking to learn next? The beginning of another school year just naturally poses the question. Will you commit yourself to a Sunday morning Bible Study? Or, perhaps, connect with the Tuesday morning Women’s study, or the Tuesday evening men’s group, or the late afternoon study when Wednesday Night Live begins again in October? Perhaps you would enjoy the download of FaithLinks from Cokesbury – you can receive it online and study at home or with friends. (FaithLinks takes current news from the headlines and pairs it with Scripture and discussion questions to help us apply our faith.) Maybe you will take an Emmaus Walk, or go on a retreat, or be intentional about taking Sabbath time. Perhaps you will choose to increase your prayer time (especially the listening part!). Challenge yourself to question and wonder, to consider another point of view, or walk in someone else’s shoes. Look for new evidence of God in the people and environment around you. Write, sing, paint, or walk. Read a book of Scripture that you’ve never read, or haven’t read for a long time, and imagine yourself in the story.

Whatever means you choose, may you learn something new about God, and about yourself. The options are endless, and the blessings even more so. I would love to hear your stories as we continue to share this journey of faith together.

Shalom,

Pastor Cathi