Wow, has summer gone by fast! Don’t worry though, the fun at St. John keeps on going right into Fall. There have been a number of new and exciting changes at St. John designed to help us serve the needs of everyone. This month I want to highlight for you some of the changes and new opportunities being offered.
Building on the success of our Caretakers of Creation Vacation Bible School, we have re-vamped our Sunday School with new “Feasting on the Word” curriculum, designed to better integrate with the Sunday morning worship experience. Due to growth of our Sunday school we will now have three separate classes, with one specifically for our preschoolers. There will be more opportunities for adults to learn and engage with what the kids are learning each week as well. The Confirmation program has also gone through a “re-design” and will be held approximately one Sunday a month. Be sure to check out the information on our many adult education and small group activities being offered. There is a little something for everyone…whether you are a fan of Youtube videos, great movies (Man of Steel this month!), great books on issues of faith or current events, or a more traditional Bible study we have something for you!
You will probably also notice some changes to the sanctuary. We have removed a few pews and re-spaced existing pews to allow for easier mobility. We have created two seating areas for those with mobility issues that allows room for wheelchairs or walkers, as well as some chair seating for those who find it easier to get in and out of a chair instead of a pew. Several pews in the front of the church will now be set aside for our children to sit in (if desired) so that they have a better view of the worship service and can participate more. Teachers will be sitting with the children and they will now stay in worship until the time of the offering at which point they will go to Sunday School, which will run until noon.
To kick off our Fall programming schedule our Fall Celebration Sunday (formerly known as Rally Day) will be held on Sunday September 7th. We’ll start the day with a Worship Celebration at 10:30 where the Germantown Historical Committee will present us with a plaque for our designation as a historical site. There will also be great music from Progresssive Christian singer/songwriter and author Rev. Bryan Sirchio. After worship join us downstairs in the fellowship hall for an ice cream social and to pack school kits for our Church World Service mission project.
Great and exciting things are happening at St. John UCC and I hope each of you will find a new activity that speaks to you and helps you to grow on this journey of faith.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Tara
