We have had such a wonderful year of program and mission as a congregation that we might very well be thinking that it is about time we took a vacation.  When I think about some of the things we have to celebrate just from this spring I think that surely there must come a time when we can just sit back on the porch swing and say, “this is good, and it is enough.”

Think about it:

• Over $13,000 collected for One Great Hour of Sharing (our highest total ever).
• A large group of new members (14) that we received this spring.
• A wonderful and completely children-led Sunday School Sunday.
• A robust offering of adult education opportunities.
• A Baccalaureate service where we congratulated and extended our best wishes to all our graduates.
• The “Baby College” early literacy program graduated 10 babies and 8 moms.
• The SERRV Shop board and volunteers have been as busy as ever.
• Our 58^th  annual Strawberry Festival about which the community is still talking
• The Presbytery commissioned Beth Newell as she left for Colombia to work in the accompaniment program there (please read more about it inside).
• Creation of a Transition Pastor Nominating Committee to help the session find a pastor to lead the congregation through its time of change.

The list goes on and it is easy to think that we all need a well-deserved rest!

I have good news for all of us.  The position description for our vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ includes vacation time.  Indeed, our worship of God    is our refreshment – it is the source of the life and strength we need to be the people God created us to be.  It is our Sabbath, which literally means a time to cease and rest – to regain our wholeness and well-being.

You already know this, but I will remind you again.  We will worship in our sanctuary for July and we will be at First Baptist Church for all of August and the first Sunday of September.  We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of August.  Come and join us.  Instead of taking a vacation from worship, come and see how worship is an essential part of the vacation we all need.  It is how we find refreshment for the vocation to which we each are called as disciples of Jesus Christ.

WJG