September 23, 2015
Dear Friends and Family of Faith,
Well it is official - Fall has arrived. As I drive into the parking lot here at church, I can see some of the trees have already started changing colors. It means the temperatures are going down, migratory birds are getting ready to head further south, the bears are going into hibernation, the squirrels and other animals are collecting food to tide them over in the winter. While I love the colors and smells of fall, it is still a season that makes me melancholy, as it is always a reminder that winter is just around the corner.
Fall is also the time that we get back into the swing of our youth and family programming. Wednesday Education, SLAM/JAM, Confirmation, First Communion, and Youth Groups have all started back up. MOPS is off to a good start, as is Mandi's weeknight book study. I would love to offer a Bible Study for adults - is anyone interested? Let me know and a day and time can be chosen.
Why is continuing education in the church important? Well, I don't believe any of us ever get too old to learn something new about our faith or God. I also believe that our understandings and insights change as circumstances in our lives shift. What we learned in Sunday School served us well when we were children, but it is not enough to sustain us in adult life. While I do believe that every Christian should be reading the Bible on a regular basis, either as personal devotion time or personal growth time, I also believe in group Bible Study because the varied opinions of other Christians brings in aspects that we may not have thought of, or serve to expand our own understanding.
Christian Education is not "just for the children". It should be something that we all engage in for our entire lives. If we don't read about God and His saving acts on a regular basis, how can we grow in our faith or mature in our faith journey. Just as we read newspapers or books (or Facebook and blogs) for enjoyment or to keep our minds sharp, regular reading of the Bible helps us keep our hearts and minds fixed on the One who is the ground and source of our very being.
Won't you join me in study?
Shalom,
Pastor Sandy
Dear Friends and Family of Faith,
Well it is official - Fall has arrived. As I drive into the parking lot here at church, I can see some of the trees have already started changing colors. It means the temperatures are going down, migratory birds are getting ready to head further south, the bears are going into hibernation, the squirrels and other animals are collecting food to tide them over in the winter. While I love the colors and smells of fall, it is still a season that makes me melancholy, as it is always a reminder that winter is just around the corner.
Fall is also the time that we get back into the swing of our youth and family programming. Wednesday Education, SLAM/JAM, Confirmation, First Communion, and Youth Groups have all started back up. MOPS is off to a good start, as is Mandi's weeknight book study. I would love to offer a Bible Study for adults - is anyone interested? Let me know and a day and time can be chosen.
Why is continuing education in the church important? Well, I don't believe any of us ever get too old to learn something new about our faith or God. I also believe that our understandings and insights change as circumstances in our lives shift. What we learned in Sunday School served us well when we were children, but it is not enough to sustain us in adult life. While I do believe that every Christian should be reading the Bible on a regular basis, either as personal devotion time or personal growth time, I also believe in group Bible Study because the varied opinions of other Christians brings in aspects that we may not have thought of, or serve to expand our own understanding.
Christian Education is not "just for the children". It should be something that we all engage in for our entire lives. If we don't read about God and His saving acts on a regular basis, how can we grow in our faith or mature in our faith journey. Just as we read newspapers or books (or Facebook and blogs) for enjoyment or to keep our minds sharp, regular reading of the Bible helps us keep our hearts and minds fixed on the One who is the ground and source of our very being.
Won't you join me in study?
Shalom,
Pastor Sandy