Summer is upon us. This is a time for enjoying the outdoors, going on vacations to see family or sights, and time at the camp. The Bible contains many examples of times when people stepped away from the work routine. It’s true, Moses did not book an Airbnb at the Red Sea, and Jesus did not have a cottage on Lake Galilee. However, the Bible teaches the value of taking a break with the weekly Sabbath. It established seasonal rhythms and times for family travel. In the Bible, there were three major pilgrimage feasts (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot) annually. Families traveled to Jerusalem. They gathered, feasted, and celebrated. It was basically a road trip to renew their relationship with God and reconnect with others.
The result is a lightened schedule on the church calendar. Meetings like the Session stay on the calendar, but there are fewer meetings and fewer events. The events are typically more “relaxed.” However, the lightened schedule allows time to plan and prepare for the busy fall. There are some important upcoming opportunities, which you can read more about in the July Newsletter. – Pastor George