Even though we know it's not "officially" Fall or Autumn for a few more weeks, I've been delighted to feel a slight coolness in the air each morning and evening. Pumpkin Spice is overtaking every fast food menu and bakery item (hot take: stick with the original chocolate Frosty from Wendy's...unless you like the taste of what I imagine a pumpkin spice candle tastes like...) And our Fall routines are taking shape: coordinating carpools, finding the cleats that fit in the back of closets, emails full of snack signups, and more.
It was delightful to see friends at our Fall Children's Choirs and Sunday School kickoff on Sunday - and good news, there's still time for YOU to make these meaningful (and free!) opportunities for your children a part of your Fall routine. Join us on Sundays from 9:30am-10:00am for top-notch music-making - I've heard that studies show that children who participate in early music education, particularly singing in choirs, reap educational and social benefits. But I'm already too overwhelmed with my Fall to-do lists to look up those studies for you, so let's just go with it, mmmkay?! Then Sunday School follows which includes a Bible story and interactive games and crafts -- we do our best to create safe, fun learning for faith formation. On Sunday, our Pre-K and Kindergarteners learned the story of God calling Samuel in the Temple and by the time I stopped by, they had already nicknamed him Sam! The 1st-2nd grade boys were looking up stories that involved battles in their Children's Bibles (obviously), while the 3rd-5th grade class was happy to enjoy popcorn as they learned what it means in the biblical imagery to be the salt of the earth. I can still hear in my memories the sweet voice of my own toddler a few years ago singing the song from Preschool Sunday School, "Let the children come to me, Jesus said!"
Our new Young Adult Sunday School class was full, and our other adult classes were pulling in extra chairs! And while I tried not being too pushy with asking too many questions of my 'tween, I hear that Glenn Youth was fun Sunday night, too! These are the images of hope and faith I'm clinging to this week as I pray for special Glenn Church family members hospitalized and work to keep my mind and heart focused to keep church friends updated as we rally around each concern. We celebrate a newborn coming home from the NICU; we are praying without ceasing for a college student facing a scary medical situation; and we rally around "The Prayer Shawl Lady" Ms. Carolyn undergoing surgery today. My phone keeps pinging from folks checking on one another. And I'm struck that THIS is Church - not just the events I shamelessly spam you with on social media/text/email, but like the children's choir song reminds us, "I am the Church. You are the Church. We are the Church together. The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple. The church is the PEOPLE." All of this to say, I hope you'll add "Church" on your Fall Schedule. Feel free to bring your Pumpkin Spice.