Greetings from your pastor. Another school year has come and gone. Our children are on summer vacation having completed another year of education. As we look toward the summer remember that Vacation Bible School (VBS) will begin on June 20th and Kim will need lots of help making this a special event for all of the children that will participate. Our theme this year is to “celebrate all of God’s creation” because we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Be sure to promote VBS to all of your neighbors and the community in which we live.
May was busy, busy, busy. Our children/youth campaign to help “Hannah’s Hope” was a great success. We presented a check for over $1,600 to a representative from “Hannah’s Hope” on Wednesday May 11th. We purchased and dedicated our new playground equipment for the children on Sunday May 29th and followed this dedication with a 5th Sunday Potluck meal in Davis Hall. In addition to VBS during the month of June, Kim is planning almost weekly outings/activities for the youth/children. Look for emails from Kim as to activities/plans during the summer.
As you should know by now, we have suspended our 8:30 am Sunday Morning Worship until August. Between now and then we need to discuss who is interested in attending an early service and what their expectations are for that service. We also need to discuss the appropriate location to hold the service when we resume.
With the help and leadership of Kris Bliss and the Pairs and Spares Sunday School Class we are making a concerted effort to attract friends and neighbors between the ages of 18 to 50 to come to our church for fellowship and spiritual growth opportunities. We have established a comfortable sitting area in the CAC for anyone that may be at the church during Sunday School hour to pause and visit with each other while their children are in Sunday School, or they are just here early for the upcoming church service. Please pass this on to anyone that you feel might be interested.
We are also looking to restart some additional Sunday School classes that took a break because of COVID. I am excited about this and want you to keep an eye on the bulletins and emails relating to this topic in the next few weeks and months. If you would be interested in attending or even assisting in the teaching of a new class, please let me know.
Please remember to invite your friends and family to come back to worship, in person, with us here at Somerville First UMC. This is God’s church for this entire community, and the doors are always open to all of God’s children.
Blessings and peace
Bro. Don VanVoorhis
