Pastor's Pen for September

Dear Friends in Christ,

By the time you read this the sate Fair will be coming to a close and students across the area will have returned to their classrooms. These are sure signs that a glorious summer has come to an end. Much of our lives is directed by the various seasons that we experience. The end of one season leads to expectations for the next. This is also true in the seasons of the Church year and our spiritual lives as well. Moving from one season to the next is to anticipate what is to come as much as it is to remember and to celebrate what has been.

In September the Sunday Schools will once again begin for the young people of the congregation. As important as this is , it is good to be reminded that education is not just for young people anymore. This is certainly true in the secular world where there is ongoing education for almost every occupation. It is also important for the religious world as well. Learning and growing in the faith is important for every age group. We never reach a point where we know everything that we can know about God’s gracious love for us. The more we learn and grow the more we appreciate the gifts that God has so freely offered in the Savior and the more comfortable and humble we are to share the story of those gifts with others who are longing to hear them.

Education in the life of the Church and the people of faith is not for the purpose of providing ready made answers to the questions of life. Rather education and spiritual growth are intended for us to more faithfully and confidently grapple with the questions of life that we face every day. The more we are open to the questions the more open we will find ourselves to God and God’s message as well. As we learn and grow, we can become less anxious about the unknowns in the world around us. As we learn and grow we become more certain and confident of those things that do not change, i.e. the love and grace of God that has been showered upon us.

As a new season of Sunday School begins for the young people, think about how everyone might be a part of the educational ministries of the congregations. More importantly, consider how you might be a part and as a result grow in your faith and understanding of our loving God.