On Father’s Day last month we moved to our summer schedule with just one service of worship at 10:00 am on Sunday mornings. Only those who arrived very early were in their usual pews! As I looked out at the congregation, center section people had moved to the sides, and the folks in the balcony had to scrunch over to make room for additional worshippers. (Please help us keep all the little ones out of that front pew in the balcony!) It felt good to have the sanctuary so crowded—if this keeps up, you will actually be filling up those very front pews. I can’t wait. The fellowship hour actually lasted for a whole hour as we visited on the front lawn

The joy of worshipping together during this summer season is the opportunity to meet some members of the congregation that you may not know at all. Please take advantage of this time to make some new friends. Do not be afraid to introduce yourself to the people sharing your pew. Notice when someone is standing alone at the fellowship time. It may well be someone who has been a part of the church for six generations; or, it might be a visitor who is waiting to be greeted. In that circumstance, you are the church; and, if you don’t welcome them, they may well decide that this is not a good place for them to be. We will probably have more visitors during the summer months than we have the rest of the year. There will be tourists and members’ relatives, but there will also be new residents who are seriously searching for a new home. Please consider it your responsibility to meet someone new every week.

As you are traveling this summer, choose a place of worship every Sunday morning wherever you are. It is so good for the children to realize that the way we worship here is not the only possible way to worship the Lord. Visit another Presbyterian Church; try out one of those inter-denominational mega-churches, go to a Catholic Mass. Any time you experience something different, it helps you pay better attention to how we worship each week. Bring me a bulletin—I just love to see what various other churches are doing—and come tell me about your experience.

Our musician, Becky Sweet, had knee replacement surgery on June 19. During July, and maybe into August, she will be leading the choir from the piano in the front of the sanctuary. There will be choir practice every Sunday morning at 9:15. Why not join them for a week or more? While the choir is filling up those front pews for me, anyone is welcome to try out their plush seats in the balcony.

After Bible School, I will be going on vacation for two weeks. Our family will be gathering together at a house at Bethany Beach. I will be back in the pulpit on July 29, and back in the office on the 30th. Have a wonderful summer!

                                                       - Diane